There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and shunned evil.

And there were born to him seven sons and three daughters.

His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

And it was so, when the days of their feasting were ended, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

And the LORD said to Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and shunneth evil?

And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

And there came a messenger to Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God hath fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I only have escaped alone to tell thee.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yes, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only have escaped alone to tell thee.

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

And behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only have escaped alone to tell thee.

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.

And the LORD said to Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and shunneth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him, and to comfort him.

And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they raised their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads towards heaven.

Let the day perish in which I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a mail child conceived.

Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.

Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:

There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary are at rest.

There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.

The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.

It stood still, but I could not discern its form: an image was before my eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,

Doth not their excellence which is in them depart? they die, even without wisdom.

Call now, if there is any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?

His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.

Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.

He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.

But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.

He will deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.

Can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

In the time when they become warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.

Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?

Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of a hireling?

Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:

If thy children have sinned against him, and he hath cast them away for their transgression;

For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

Will they not teach thee, and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart?

Neither is there any judge between us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thy hand.

Should thy falsehoods make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yes, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the expiration of the breath.

Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.

He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.

He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

For there is hope of a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender branch will not cease.

Yet through the scent of water it will bud, and bring forth boughs like a plant.

So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens shall be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep.

Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?

Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:

They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.

They have gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves against me.

Are there not mockers with me? and doth not my eye continue in their provocation?

For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.

Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.

His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp around my tabernacle.

They that dwell in my house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.

Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.

His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands shall restore their goods.

There shall none of his food be left; therefore shall no man look for his goods.

He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike him through.

Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.

Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.

Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.

They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance.

They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.

Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

How oft is the candle of the wicked put out? and how oft cometh their destruction upon them? God distributeth sorrows in his anger.

Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,

The clods of the valley will be sweet to him, and every man will draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.

How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood?

For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for naught, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?

Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is exaltation; and he shall save the humble person.

There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.

Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

Some remove the landmarks: they violently take away flocks, and their feed.

Behold, as wild asses in the desert, they go forth to their work; rising betimes for a prey: the wilderness yieldeth food for them and for their children.

Who make oil within their walls, and tread their wine-presses, and suffer thirst.

In the dark they dig through houses, which they had marked for themselves in the day-time: they know not the light.

He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.

Though it is given him to be in safety, on which he resteth; yet his eyes are upon their ways.

Is there any number of his armies? and upon whom doth not his light arise?

He divideth the sea by his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud.

Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.

Surely there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.

There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vultur's eye hath not seen:

When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness;

When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street!

The princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth.

The nobles held their peace, and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.

And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.

I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a king in the army, as one that comforteth the mourners.

Yes, to what might the strength of their hands profit me, in whom old age had perished?

Who cut up mallows by the bushes, and juniper roots for their food.