A man, there was - in the land of Uz, Job, his name, - and that man was blameless and upright, and one who revered God, and avoided evil.

His livestock included 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 teams of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and many servants. Indeed, the man's stature greatly exceeded that of many people who lived in the East.

So the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil."

And the men of Sheba came against them and took them away, putting the young men to the sword, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.

And this one was still talking when another came, and said, The fire of God came down from heaven, burning up the sheep and the goats and the young men completely, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.

And this one was still talking when another came, and said, The Chaldaeans made themselves into three bands, and came down on the camels and took them away, putting the young men to the sword, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.

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.

And Yahweh said unto the accuser, Hast thou applied thy heart unto my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a man blameless and upright, one who revereth God, and avoideth evil; and still he is holding fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to swallow him up without cause.

“Let those curse it who curse the day,
Who are prepared to rouse Leviathan.

With kings and with counselors of the earth,
Who rebuilt ruins for themselves;

Or with princes who had gold,
Who were filling their houses with silver.

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

In that place, those who once were prisoners will be at ease together; they won't hear the voice of oppressors.

“Why is light given to him who suffers,
And life to the bitter of soul,

Who long for death, but there is none,
And dig for it more than for hidden treasures,

Who rejoice greatly,
And exult when they find the grave?

“Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden,
And whom God has hedged in?

“If one ventures a word with you, will you become impatient?
But who can refrain from speaking?

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

"But now it's your turn, and you're the one who is worn out! Now it's striking you, and you're dismayed!

“Remember now, who ever perished being innocent?
Or where were the upright destroyed?

“According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity
And those who sow trouble harvest it.

‘How much more those who dwell in houses of clay,
Whose foundation is in the dust,
Who are crushed before the moth!

“Call now, is there anyone who will answer you?
And to which of the holy ones will you turn?

For wrath is the cause of death to the foolish, and he who has no wisdom comes to his end through passion.

Their produce is taken by him who has no food, and their grain goes to the poor, and he who is in need of water gets it from their spring.

Who does great and unsearchable things,
Wonders without number.

Who giveth rain on the face of the earth, and sendeth waters on the face of the fields;

So that He sets on high those who are lowly,
And those who mourn are lifted to safety.

Who doth frustrate the schemes of the crafty, that their hands cannot achieve abiding success;

Who captureth the wise in their own craftiness, yea the headlong counsel of the crooked:

But he keeps safe from their sword those who have no father, and the poor from the power of the strong.

Therefore there is hope for those who are poor, and iniquity shuts its mouth.

“Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves,
So do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.

Who will give my asking shall come? and will God give my expectation?

“For the despairing man there should be kindness from his friend;
So that he does not abandon (turn away from) the fear of the Almighty.

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

“As a slave who pants for the shade,
And as a hired man who eagerly waits for his wages,

“The eye of him who sees me will behold me no longer;
Your eyes will be on me, but I will not be.

“When a cloud vanishes, it is gone,
So he who goes down to Sheol does not come up.

“So are the paths of all who forget God;
And the hope of the godless will perish,

Truly, God will not give up him who is without sin, and will not take evil-doers by the hand.

“Those who hate you will be clothed with shame,
And the tent of the wicked will be no longer.”

“Wise in heart and mighty in strength,
Who has defied Him without harm?

“It is God who removes the mountains, they know not how,
When He overturns them in His anger;

Who shakes the earth out of its place,
And its pillars tremble;

Who commands the sun not to shine,
And sets a seal upon the stars;

Who alone stretches out the heavens
And tramples down the waves of the sea;

Who makes the Bear, Orion and the Pleiades,
And the chambers of the south;

Who does great things, unfathomable,
And wondrous works without number.

“Were He to snatch away, who could restrain Him?
Who could say to Him, ‘What are You doing?’

Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.

He, who crusheth me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

who will not allow me to take my breath, but fills me with bitterness.

“If it is a matter of power, behold, He is the strong one!
And if it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?

It is all the same to me; so I say, He puts an end to the sinner and to him who has done no wrong together.

If death comes suddenly through disease, he makes sport of the fate of those who have done no wrong.

“The earth is given into the hand of the wicked;
He covers the faces of its judges.
If it is not He, then who is it?

They have passed away like the swift ships; like the eagle who swoops on the prey.

For he is not a man like myself, whom I might answer, nor could we come together into judgment:

“There is no umpire between us,
Who may lay his hand upon us both.

who would take his rod away from me so that his terror would not make me afraid.

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?

"Shouldn't a multitude of words be answered, or a person who talks too much be vindicated?

And who Will give God speaking, and he will open his lips with thee?

If He pass on, and shut up, and assemble, Who then dost reverse it?

For he knows {those who are worthless}; {when he sees} iniquity, {he will not consider it}.

I also have a heart like you, I am not fallen more than you, And with whom is there not like these?

“I am a joke to my friends,
The one who called on God and He answered him;
The just and blameless man is a joke.

“He who is at ease holds calamity in contempt,
As prepared for those whose feet slip.

“The tents of the destroyers prosper,
And those who provoke God are secure,
Whom God brings into their power.

'Who hath not known in all these, That the hand of Jehovah hath done this?

If he break down a thing, who can set it up again? If he shut a thing, who will open it?

With him are strength and wise designs; he who is guided into error, together with his guide, are in his hands;

Who leadeth away counsellors as a spoil, and, judges, He befooleth:

Who leadeth away priests as a spoil, and, men firmly seated, He overturneth:

“He deprives the trusted ones of speech
And takes away the discernment and discretion of the aged.

Who giveth greatness to nations, or destroyeth them, Who spreadeth out nations, or leadeth them into exile:

Who taketh away the sense of the chiefs of the people of the earth, and hath caused them to wander in a pathless waste:

Who will give silence? Ye shall be silent, and it shall be to you for wisdom.

Who is he that doth strive with me? For now I keep silent and gasp.

Are you a god who would make a leaf tremble or who would prosecute a dry straw?

One who, as a rotten thing consumeth, as a garment that the moth eateth.

“Man, who is born of woman,
Is short-lived and full of turmoil.

Who giveth a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.

Who will give thou wilt hide me in hades? wilt thou cover me till the turning away of thine anger? wilt thou set for me a limit, and wilt thou remember me?

"Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought forth before the hills?

With us are men who are grey-haired and full of years, much older than your father.

“What is man, that he should be pure,
Or he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

How much less one who is detestable and corrupt,
Man, who drinks iniquity like water!

which is what wise men have explained, who didn't withhold anything from their ancestors.

To whom alone the land was given,
And no alien passed among them.

For the band of the evil-doers gives no fruit, and the tents of those who give wrong decisions for reward are burned with fire.

Such things have frequently come to my ears: you are comforters who only give trouble.

He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

“Even now, behold, my Witness is in heaven,
And my Advocate [who vouches and testifies for me] is on high.

And, he that voucheth for me is on high. My friends are, they who scorn me, Unto GOD, hath mine eye shed tears: -

“Oh, that a man would mediate and plead with God [for me]
Just as a man [mediates and pleads] with his neighbor and friend.

Truly, those who make sport of me are round about me, and my eyes become dark because of their bitter laughing.

Place, I pray Thee, my pledge with Thee; Who is he that striketh hand with me?