And Jehovah said to Satan, Whence comest thou? And Satan answered Jehovah and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

And Jehovah 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 abstaineth from evil?

Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is spread abroad in the land.

And Jehovah said to Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered Jehovah and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

And Jehovah 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 abstaineth from evil? and still he remaineth firm in his integrity, though thou movedst me against him, to swallow him up without cause.

And his wife said to him, Dost thou still remain firm in thine integrity? curse God and die.

But he said to her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. We have also received good from God, and should we not receive evil? In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

If a word were essayed to thee, wouldest thou be grieved? But who can refrain from speaking?

Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands;

Thy words have upholden him that was stumbling, and thou hast braced up the bending knees:

But now it is come upon thee, and thou grievest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

Call, I pray thee! Is there any that answereth thee? and to which of the holy ones wilt thou turn?

Thou shalt be hidden from the scourge of the tongue; and thou shalt not be afraid of destruction when it cometh.

At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh, and of the beasts of the earth thou shalt not be afraid.

For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.

And thou shalt know that thy tent is in peace; and thou wilt survey thy fold, and miss nothing.

And thou shalt know that thy seed is numerous, and thine offspring as the herb of the earth.

Thou shalt come to the grave in a ripe age, as a shock of corn is brought in in its season.

Behold this, we have searched it out, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thyself.

Remember thou that my life is wind; mine eye shall no more see good.

Am I a sea, or a sea-monster, that thou settest a watch over me?

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

What is man, that thou makest much of him? and that thou settest thy heart upon him?

And that thou visitest him every morning, triest him every moment?

How long wilt thou not look away from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

Have I sinned, what do I unto thee, thou Observer of men? Why hast thou set me as an object of assault for thee, so that I am become a burden to myself?

And why dost not thou forgive my transgression and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I lie down in the dust, and thou shalt seek me early, and I shall not be.

How long wilt thou speak these things? and the words of thy mouth be a strong wind?

If thou seek earnestly unto God, and make thy supplication to the Almighty,

If thou be pure and upright, surely now he will awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous;

Behold, he taketh away: who will hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?

I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

Then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes would abhor me.

I will say unto +God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou strivest with me.

Doth it please thee to oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thy hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?

That thou searchest after mine iniquity, and inquirest into my sin;

Since thou knowest that I am not wicked, and that there is none that delivereth out of thy hand?

Thy hands have bound me together and made me as one, round about; yet dost thou swallow me up!

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as clay, and wilt bring me into dust again.

Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?

Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, and knit me together with bones and sinews;

Thou hast granted me life and favour, and thy care hath preserved my spirit;

And these things didst thou hide in thy heart; I know that this was with thee.

If I sinned, thou wouldest mark me, and thou wouldest not acquit me of mine iniquity.

And it increaseth: thou huntest me as a fierce lion; and ever again thou shewest thy marvellous power upon me.

Thou renewest thy witnesses before me and increasest thy displeasure against me; successions of evil and a time of toil are with me.

And wherefore didst thou bring me forth out of the womb? I had expired, and no eye had seen me.

Should thy fictions make men hold their peace? and shouldest thou mock, and no one make thee ashamed?

For thou sayest, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.

Canst thou by searching find out +God? canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?

It is as the heights of heaven; what wilt thou do? deeper than Sheol; what canst thou know?

If thou prepare thy heart and stretch out thy hands toward him,

If thou put far away the iniquity which is in thy hand, and let not wrong dwell in thy tents;

Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot, and thou shalt be stedfast and shalt not fear:

For thou shalt forget misery; as waters that are passed away shalt thou remember it;

And life shall arise brighter than noonday; though thou be enshrouded in darkness, thou shalt be as the morning,

And thou shalt have confidence, because there shall be hope; and having searched about thee, thou shalt take rest in safety.

Yea, thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; and many shall seek thy favour.

Then call, and I will answer; or I will speak, and answer thou me.

Wherefore dost thou hide thy face, and countest me for thine enemy?

Wilt thou terrify a driven leaf? and wilt thou pursue dry stubble?

For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth;

And thou puttest my feet in the stocks, and markest all my paths; thou settest a bound about the soles of my feet; --

Yet dost thou open thine eyes upon such a one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?

If his days are determined, if the number of his months is with thee, and thou hast appointed his bounds which he must not pass,

Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, that thou wouldest keep me secret until thine anger be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me, --

Thou wouldest call, and I would answer thee; thou wouldest have a desire after the work of thy hands.

For now thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin?

My transgression is sealed up in a bag, and thou heapest up mine iniquity.

The waters wear the stones, the floods thereof wash away the dust of the earth; and thou destroyest the hope of man.

Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth away; thou changest his countenance, and dismissest him.

Yea, thou makest piety of none effect, and restrainest meditation before God.

For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou hast chosen the tongue of the crafty.

Art thou the first man that was born? and wast thou brought forth before the hills?

Hast thou listened in the secret council of +God? And hast thou absorbed wisdom for thyself?

What knowest thou that we know not? what understandest thou which is not in us?

That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest words go out of thy mouth?

Shall words of wind have an end? or what provoketh thee that thou answerest?

But now he hath made me weary; ... thou hast made desolate all my family;

Thou hast shrivelled me up! it is become a witness; and my leanness riseth up against me, it beareth witness to my face.

Lay down now a pledge, be thou surety for me with thyself: who is he that striketh hands with me?

For thou hast hidden their heart from understanding; therefore thou wilt not exalt them.

I cry to the grave, Thou art my father! to the worm, My mother, and my sister!

Thou that tearest thyself in thine anger, shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of its place?

Knowest thou not this, that of old, since man was placed upon earth,

Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if thou art righteous? And is it gain to him that thou makest thy ways perfect?

For thou hast taken a pledge of thy brother for nought, and stripped off the clothing of the naked.

Thou hast not given water to the fainting to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.

Widows hast thou sent empty away, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

Or darkness, that thou canst not see, and floods of waters cover thee.

And thou sayest, What doth God know? will he judge through the dark cloud?

Dost thou mark the ancient path which wicked men have trodden?

If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up. If thou remove unrighteousness far from thy tents,

Yea, then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto +God:

Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he will hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows;

And thou shalt decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee; and light shall shine upon thy ways.

When they are made low, then thou shalt say, Rise up! and he shall save him that is of downcast eyes.

How hast thou helped the powerless; how saved the arm that is without strength!

How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom, and abundantly declared the thing as it is!