And the Lord said to the Satan, Where do you come from? And the Satan said in answer, From wandering this way and that on the earth, and walking about on it.

But now, put out your hand against all he has, and he will be cursing you to your face.

And the Lord said to the Satan, See, I give all he has into your hands, only do not put a finger on the man himself. And the Satan went out from before the Lord.

And there was a day when his sons and daughters were feasting in the house of their oldest brother,

And a man came to Job, and said, The oxen were ploughing, and the asses were taking their food by their side:

And this one was still talking when another came, and said, Your sons and your daughters were feasting together in their oldest brother's house,

When a great wind came rushing from the waste land against the four sides of the house, and it came down on the young men, and they are dead; and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.

In all this Job did no sin, and did not say that God's acts were foolish.

And the Lord said to the Satan, Where do you come from? And the Satan said in answer, From wandering this way and that on the earth, and walking about on it.

But now, if you only put your hand on his bone and his flesh, he will certainly be cursing you to your face.

And the Lord said to the Satan, See, he is in your hands, only do not take his life.

And his wife said to him, Are you still keeping your righteousness? Say a curse against God, and put an end to yourself.

And he said to her, You are talking like one of the foolish women. If we take the good God sends us, are we not to take the evil when it comes? In all this Job kept his lips from sin.

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.

That night--let the thick dark take it; let it not have joy among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months.

Let it be cursed by those who put a curse on the day; who are ready to make Leviathan awake.

Why did the knees take me, or why the breasts that they might give me milk?

Or with rulers who had gold, and whose houses were full of silver;

Or as a child dead at birth I might never have come into existence; like young children who have not seen the light.

There the passions of the evil are over, and those whose strength has come to an end have rest.

There the prisoners are at peace together; the voice of the overseer comes not again to their ears.

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

To those whose desire is for death, but it comes not; who are searching for it more than for secret wealth;

Who are glad with great joy, and full of delight when they come to their last resting-place;

He who was near to falling has been lifted up by your words, and you have given strength to bent knees.

But now it has come on you and it is a weariness to you; you are touched by it and your mind is troubled.

Is not your fear of God your support, and your upright way of life your hope?

Have you ever seen destruction come to an upright man? or when were the god-fearing ever cut off?

By the breath of God destruction takes them, and by the wind of his wrath they are cut off.

Though the noise of the lion and the sounding of his voice, may be loud, the teeth of the young lions are broken.

Fear came on me and shaking, and my bones were full of trouble;

May a man be upright before God? or a man be clean before his Maker?

How much more those living in houses of earth, whose bases are in the dust! They are crushed more quickly than an insect;

Between morning and evening they are completely broken; they come to an end for ever, and no one takes note.

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?

Now his children have no safe place, and they are crushed before the judges, for no one takes up their cause.

For evil does not come out of the dust, or trouble out of the earth;

Who does great things outside our knowledge, wonders without number:

Lifting up those who are low, and putting the sad in a safe place;

Who makes the designs of the wise go wrong, so that they are unable to give effect to their purposes.

He takes the wise in their secret designs, and the purposes of the twisted are cut off suddenly.

Truly, that man is happy who has training from the hand of God: so do not let your heart be shut to the teaching of the Ruler of all.

When there is need of food he will keep you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.

And you will be certain that your tent is at peace, and after looking over your property you will see that nothing is gone.

You will be certain that your seed will be great, and your offspring like the plants of the earth.

You will come to your last resting-place in full strength, as the grain is taken up to the crushing-floor in its time.

See, we have made search with care, and it is so; it has come to our ears; see that you take note of it for yourself.

For the arrows of the Ruler of all are present with me, and their poison goes deep into my spirit: his army of fears is put in order against me.

Does the ass of the fields give out his voice when he has grass? or does the ox make sounds over his food?

Will a man take food which has no taste without salt? or is there any taste in the soft substance of purslain?

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

Have I strength to go on waiting, or have I any end to be looking forward to?

Is my strength the strength of stones, or is my flesh brass?

Which are dark because of the ice, and the snow falling into them;

Under the burning sun they are cut off, and come to nothing because of the heat.

The camel-trains of Tema were searching with care, the bands of Sheba were waiting for them:

They were put to shame because of their hope; they came and their hope was gone.

So have you now become to me; you see my sad condition and are in fear.

Did I say, Give me something? or, Make a payment for me out of your wealth?

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?

How pleasing are upright words! but what force is there in your arguments?

My words may seem wrong to you, but the words of him who has no hope are for the wind.

Truly, you are such as would give up the child of a dead man to his creditors, and would make a profit out of your friend.

Now then, let your eyes be turned to me, for truly I will not say what is false to your face.

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?

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

The eye of him who sees me will see me no longer: your eyes will be looking for me, but I will be gone.

Am I a sea, or a sea-beast, that you put a watch over me?

I have no desire for life, I would not be living for ever! Keep away from me, for my days are as a breath.

What is man, that you have made him great, and that your attention is fixed on him,

And that your hand is on him every morning, and that you are testing him every minute?

How long will it be before your eyes are turned away from me, so that I may have a minute's breathing-space?

If I have done wrong, what have I done to you, O keeper of men? why have you made me a mark for your blows, so that I am a weariness to myself?

How long will you say these things, and how long will the words of your mouth be like a strong wind?

Does God give wrong decisions? or is the Ruler of all not upright in his judging?

If your children have done evil against him, then their punishment is from his hand.

If you will make search for God with care, and put your request before the Ruler of all;

If you are clean and upright; then he will certainly be moved to take up your cause, and will make clear your righteousness by building up your house again.

And though your start was small, your end will be very great.

(For we are but of yesterday, and have no knowledge, because our days on earth are gone like a shade:)

His roots are twisted round the stones, forcing their way in between them.

The time will come when your mouth will be full of laughing, and cries of joy will come from your lips.

Your haters will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the sinner will not be seen again.

Who is moving the earth out of its place, so that its pillars are shaking:

By whose hand the heavens were stretched out, and who is walking on the waves of the sea:

If he puts out his hand to take, by whom may it be turned back? who may say to him, What are you doing?

God's wrath may not be turned back; the helpers of Rahab were bent down under him.

If I had sent for him to be present, and he had come, I would have no faith that he would give ear to my voice.

The land is given into the power of the evil-doer; the faces of its judges are covered; if not by him, then who has done it?

I go in fear of all my pains; I am certain that I will not be free from sin in your eyes.

What profit is it to you to be cruel, to give up the work of your hands, looking kindly on the design of evil-doers?

Have you eyes of flesh, or do you see as man sees?

Are your days as the days of man, or your years like his,

Though you see that I am not an evil-doer; and there is no one who is able to take a man out of your hands?

Your hands made me, and I was formed by you, but then, changing your purpose, you gave me up to destruction.

You have been kind to me, and your grace has been with me, and your care has kept my spirit safe.

But you kept these things in the secret of your heart; I am certain this was in your thoughts:

And that if there was cause for pride, you would go after me like a lion; and again put out your wonders against me:

That you would send new witnesses against me, increasing your wrath against me, and letting loose new armies on me.