But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.”

Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.

However, put forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You to Your face.”

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

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

“From six troubles He will deliver you,
Even in seven evil will not touch you.

“In famine He will redeem you from death,
And in war from the power of the sword.

“You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
And you will not be afraid of violence when it comes.

“You will laugh at violence and famine,
And you will not be afraid of wild beasts.

“For you will be in league with the stones of the field,
And the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.

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

“You will know also that your descendants will be many,
And your offspring as the grass of the earth.

“You will come to the grave in full vigor,
Like the stacking of grain in its season.

“Does the wild donkey bray over his grass,
Or does the ox low over his fodder?

“Teach me, and I will be silent;
And show me how I have erred.

“Remember that my life is but breath;
My eye will not again see good.

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

“He will not return again to his house,
Nor will his place know him anymore.

“Therefore I will not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit,
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

“If I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,
My couch will ease my complaint,’

“I waste away; I will not live forever.
Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.

“Will You never turn Your gaze away from me,
Nor let me alone until I swallow my spittle?

“Why then do You not pardon my transgression
And take away my iniquity?
For now I will lie down in the dust;
And You will seek me, but I will not be.”

“How long will you say these things,
And the words of your mouth be a mighty wind?

“Though your beginning was insignificant,
Yet your end will increase greatly.

“Will they not teach you and tell you,
And bring forth words from their minds?

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

“If he is removed from his place,
Then it will deny him, saying, ‘I never saw you.’

“Behold, this is the joy of His way;
And out of the dust others will spring.

“Lo, God will not reject a man of integrity,
Nor will He support the evildoers.

“He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
And your lips with shouting.

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

“God will not turn back His anger;
Beneath Him crouch the helpers of Rahab.

“He will not allow me to get my breath,
But saturates me with bitterness.

“Though I am righteous, my mouth will condemn me;
Though I am guiltless, He will declare me guilty.

“Though I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,
I will leave off my sad countenance and be cheerful,’

I am afraid of all my pains,
I know that You will not acquit me.

“I loathe my own life;
I will give full vent to my complaint;
I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

“I will say to God, ‘Do not condemn me;
Let me know why You contend with me.

“An idiot will become intelligent
When the foal of a wild donkey is born a man.

“But the eyes of the wicked will fail,
And there will be no escape for them;
And their hope is to breathe their last.”

“Truly then you are the people,
And with you wisdom will die!

“Will you speak what is unjust for God,
And speak what is deceitful for Him?

“Will you show partiality for Him?
Will you contend for God?

“Will it be well when He examines you?
Or will you deceive Him as one deceives a man?

“He will surely reprove you
If you secretly show partiality.

“Will not His majesty terrify you,
And the dread of Him fall on you?

“Though He slay me,
I will hope in Him.
Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.

“This also will be my salvation,
For a godless man may not come before His presence.

“Behold now, I have prepared my case;
I know that I will be vindicated.

“Who will contend with me?
For then I would be silent and die.

“Only two things do not do to me,
Then I will not hide from Your face:

“Then call, and I will answer;
Or let me speak, then reply to me.

“Will You cause a driven leaf to tremble?
Or will You pursue the dry chaff?

“For there is hope for a tree,
When it is cut down, that it will sprout again,
And its shoots will not fail.

At the scent of water it will flourish
And put forth sprigs like a plant.

So man lies down and does not rise.
Until the heavens are no longer,
He will not awake nor be aroused out of his sleep.

“If a man dies, will he live again?
All the days of my struggle I will wait
Until my change comes.

“You will call, and I will answer You;
You will long for the work of Your hands.

“I will tell you, listen to me;
And what I have seen I will also declare;

“He does not believe that he will return from darkness,
And he is destined for the sword.

“He will not become rich, nor will his wealth endure;
And his grain will not bend down to the ground.

“He will not escape from darkness;
The flame will wither his shoots,
And by the breath of His mouth he will go away.

“Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself;
For emptiness will be his reward.

“It will be accomplished before his time,
And his palm branch will not be green.

“He will drop off his unripe grape like the vine,
And will cast off his flower like the olive tree.

“Lay down, now, a pledge for me with Yourself;
Who is there that will be my guarantor?

“For You have kept their heart from understanding,
Therefore You will not exalt them.

“He who informs against friends for a share of the spoil,
The eyes of his children also will languish.

“The upright will be appalled at this,
And the innocent will stir up himself against the godless.

“Nevertheless the righteous will hold to his way,
And he who has clean hands will grow stronger and stronger.

“Will it go down with me to Sheol?
Shall we together go down into the dust?”

“How long will you hunt for words?
Show understanding and then we can talk.

“How long will you torment me
And crush me with words?

“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives,
And at the last He will take His stand on the earth.

Whom I myself shall behold,
And whom my eyes will see and not another.
My heart faints within me!

He perishes forever like his refuse;
Those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’

Though he desires it and will not let it go,
But holds it in his mouth,

“He swallows riches,
But will vomit them up;
God will expel them from his belly.

“In the fullness of his plenty he will be cramped;
The hand of everyone who suffers will come against him.

“When he fills his belly,
God will send His fierce anger on him
And will rain it on him while he is eating.

“He may flee from the iron weapon,
But the bronze bow will pierce him.

Complete darkness is held in reserve for his treasures,
And unfanned fire will devour him;
It will consume the survivor in his tent.

“The heavens will reveal his iniquity,
And the earth will rise up against him.

“The increase of his house will depart;
His possessions will flow away in the day of His anger.

“For the wicked is reserved for the day of calamity;
They will be led forth at the day of fury.

“Who will confront him with his actions,
And who will repay him for what he has done?

“While he is carried to the grave,
Men will keep watch over his tomb.

“The clods of the valley will gently cover him;
Moreover, all men will follow after him,
While countless ones go before him.

“How then will you vainly comfort me,
For your answers remain full of falsehood?”

“Will you keep to the ancient path
Which wicked men have trod,

“Yield now and be at peace with Him;
Thereby good will come to you.

“If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored;
If you remove unrighteousness far from your tent,

Then the Almighty will be your gold
And choice silver to you.

“For then you will delight in the Almighty
And lift up your face to God.

“You will pray to Him, and He will hear you;
And you will pay your vows.

“You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you;
And light will shine on your ways.

“When you are cast down, you will speak with confidence,
And the humble person He will save.

“He will deliver one who is not innocent,
And he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”

“Behold, as wild donkeys in the wilderness
They go forth seeking food in their activity,
As bread for their children in the desert.