There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. He was without sin and upright, fearing God and keeping himself far from evil.

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 gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up 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.

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

And Jehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and turneth away from evil.

Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

Hast not Thou made a hedge for him, and for his house, and for all that he hath -- round about?

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

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 am escaped alone to tell thee.

Throughout all this Job did not sin or blame God for anything.

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

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

And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

{So} he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and he sat in the midst of the ashes.

Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was 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 lifting up their eyes when they were still far off, it did not seem that the man they saw was Job because of the change in him. And they gave way to bitter weeping, with signs of grief, and put dust on their heads.

So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

Let that day be darkness; Let not God from above seek for it, Neither let the light shine upon it.

Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own; Let a cloud dwell upon it; Let all that maketh black the day terrify it.

As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.

As for that night, let it have no fruit; let no voice of joy be sounded in it;

Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:

For that night did not shut
the doors of my mother’s womb,
and hide sorrow from my eyes.

Why did the knees receive me,
and why were there breasts for me to nurse?

For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,

With kings and counsellers of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves;

or princes who amassed gold for themselves, and who kept filling their houses with silver.

There, are those let out free which have been in prison, so that they hear no more the voice of the oppressor.

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

Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;

and search for it more than for treasure. Which also would be exceedingly glad, and rejoice if they found their grave.

For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.

For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.

I cannot relax or be still;
I have no rest, for trouble comes.

Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?

What I have seen is that those by whom trouble has been ploughed, and evil planted, get the same for themselves.

The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.

Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.

A wind passed by me,
and I shuddered with fear.

They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.

Give now a cry for help; is there anyone who will give you an answer? and to which of the holy ones will you make your prayer?

For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.

“I have seen the foolish taking root [and outwardly prospering],
But I cursed his dwelling immediately [for his destruction was certain].

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 snare gapeth for their substance.

For affliction cometh not forth from the dust, Neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;

For man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upwards.

But as for me, I would seek unto God, And unto God would I commit my cause;

He frustrates the plans of the crafty; so that what they work for never succeeds.

In the daytime it becomes dark for them, and in the sunlight they go feeling about as if it was night.

So the poor hath what he hopeth for, and unrighteousness stoppeth her mouth.

For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

“He will rescue you from six troubles;
Even in seven, evil will not touch you.

You will be safe from slander
and not fear destruction when it comes.

At destruction and famine you shall laugh, and you shall not fear the wild animals of the earth.

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

“You will know that your tent is secure,
For you will visit your abode and fear no loss.

Thou shalt come to thy grave in a fair age, like as the corn sheaves are brought in to the barn in due season.

Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

For then should it be heavier than the sand of the sea.

For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.

For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

My soul has no desire for such things, they are as disease in my food.

Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

That it would please GOD to crush me, That he would set free his hand, and cut me off!

Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

For what my strength that I shall wait and what my end, that I shall prolong my soul?

Since I cannot help myself,
the hope for success has been banished from me.

To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

But they that fear the hoarfrost, the snow shall fall upon them.

When their time cometh, they shall be destroyed and perish: and when they be set on fire, they shall be removed out of their place,

for the paths that they go in are crooked: they haste after vain things, and shall perish.

The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.

For all their expectations, they are doomed to disappointment; even though they have come and searched this far.

For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.

Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?

Or, Get me out of the power of my hater? or, Give money so that I may be free from the power of the cruel ones?

"Teach me and I, for my part, will be silent; explain to me how I have been mistaken.

Do ye imagine to reprove words? The speeches of one that is desperate are indeed for the wind.

Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.

Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie.

Let your minds be changed, and do not have an evil opinion of me; yes, be changed, for my righteousness is still in me.

Has not man his ordered time of trouble on the earth? and are not his days like the days of a servant working for payment?

As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:

So I have for my heritage months of pain to no purpose, and nights of weariness are given to me.

When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

The eye of anyone who looks on me
will no longer see me.
Your eyes will look for me, but I will be gone.

For if thou fasten thine eyes upon me, I come to naught like as a cloud is consumed and vanisheth away. Even so, he that goeth down to hell, cometh no more up,

For I've said, "My bed will comfort me; my couch will ease my burdens while I complain.'

Then you send dreams to me, and visions of fear;

I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.

And thou wilt review him for the mornings, and thou wilt try him for the moments.

If I have sinned, what do I unto thee, O thou watcher of men? Why hast thou set me as a mark for thee, So that I am a burden to myself?

And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.

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

If you yourself would seek God, then you would plead to Shaddai for grace.

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

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

(For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because our days upon earth are a shadow:)

While they are still beginning to flower and not ripe for cutting, they can wither away faster than any grass!