His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

But he replied, "You're talking like one of the godless women would do! Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil?" In all this Job did not sin by what he said.

“For now I would have lain down and been quiet;
I would have slept then, I would have been at rest,

“Or like a miscarriage which is discarded, I would not be,
As infants that never saw light.

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

"[If] someone would test a word with you, would you be offended? But who can refrain from speaking?

“But as for me, I would seek God,
And I would place my cause before God;

Oh that, weighed, were my vexation, and, my engulfing ruin - into the balances, they would lift up all at once!

“For then it would be heavier than the sand of the seas;
Therefore my words have been rash.

“Oh that my request might come to pass,
And that God would grant my longing!

“Would that God were willing to crush me,
That He would loose His hand and cut me off!

Then should I yet have comfort; and in the pain which spareth not I would rejoice that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

“You would even cast lots for the orphans
And barter over your friend.

“Now please look at me,
And see if I lie to your face [for you know that I would not].

For like as a bond servant desireth the shadow, and as a hireling would fain have an end of his work:

So that my soul would choose suffocation,
Death rather than my pains.

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

“If you would seek God
And implore the compassion of the Almighty,

If you are pure and upright,
Surely now He would rouse Himself for you
And restore your righteous estate.

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

While still uncut shoots,
they would dry up quicker than any other plant.

Whilst he would fill thy mouth with laughing and thy lips with shouting,

If a man was desiring to go to law with him, he would not be able to give him an answer to one out of a thousand questions.

“Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him;
Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him.

{If} he would snatch away, who could turn him? Who could say to him, 'What are you doing?'

“For though I were right, I could not answer;
I would have to implore the mercy of my judge.

If I had called, and he had answered me, I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice, --

For, with a tempest, would he fall upon me, and would multiply my wounds without need;

He would not suffer me to recover my breath, for he would surfeit me with bitter things.

If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.

Were I perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

I would still live in terror of all my pains.
I know You will not acquit me.

Yet You would plunge me into the pit,
And my own clothes would abhor me.

“There is no arbitrator between us,
Who could lay his hand upon us both [would that there were].

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

“Then I would speak and not fear Him;
But I am not like that in myself.

Though it is, within thine own knowledge, that I would not be lawless, and, none, out of thy hand, can deliver?

‘Your hands fashioned and made me altogether,
And would You destroy me?

‘Remember now, that You have made me as clay;
And would You turn me into dust again?

If I sin, then You would take note of me,
And would not acquit me of my guilt.

That, if I was an evil-doer, the curse would come on me; and if I was upright, my head would not be lifted up, being full of shame and overcome with trouble.

‘Should my head be lifted up, You would hunt me like a lion;
And again You would show Your power against me.

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

‘Why then have You brought me out of the womb?
Would that I had died and no eye had seen me!

I would have been as though I had not been; I would have been carried from the womb to the grave.

“Would He not let my few days alone?
Withdraw from me that I may have a little cheer

“But would that God might speak,
And open His lips against you,

And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, how that they are the double of what is realised; and know that +God passeth by much of thine iniquity!

For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt.

“If you would direct your heart right
And spread out your hand to Him,

“Then, indeed, you could lift up your face without moral defect,
And you would be steadfast and not fear.

“For you would forget your trouble,
As waters that have passed by, you would remember it.

“Your life would be brighter than noonday;
Darkness would be like the morning.

“Then you would trust, because there is hope;
And you would look around and rest securely.

“You would lie down and none would disturb you,
And many would entreat your favor.

“But I would speak to the Almighty,
And I desire to argue with God.

O that ye would keep perfectly silent, And it would be to you for wisdom.

Is it, for God, ye would speak perversely? And, for him, would ye speak deceit:

Even, for him, would ye be partial? Or, for GOD, would ye so plead?

Would it be well, when he searched you out? Or, as one might jest with a mortal, would ye jest, with him?

He would certainly rebuke you if you secretly showed partiality!

Would not his splendor terrify you and the fear he inspires fall on you?

Behold, if he slay me, yet would I trust in him; but I will defend mine own ways before him.

And that will be my salvation, for an evil-doer would not come before him,

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

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

“Oh that You would hide me in Sheol,
That You would conceal me until Your wrath returns to You,
That You would set a limit for me and remember me!

(If a man die, shall he live again?) all the days of my time of toil would I wait, till my change should come:

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

"Surely now you count my steps; then you would not mark my sin.

My offenses would be sealed up in a bag; you would cover over my sin.

For thine own mouth would teach thine iniquity, and thou wouldst choose the tongue of the crafty.

“He has lived in desolate cities,
In houses no one would inhabit,
Which are destined to become ruins.

It would not be hard for me to say such things if your souls were in my soul's place; joining words together against you, and shaking my head at you:

But I would encourage you with my mouth, and the solace of my lips should assuage your pain.

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

Where then would be my hope? And, as for my blessedness, who should see it!

With me to hades, would they go down, If, wholly - into the dust, is the descent!

“And if it were true that I have erred,
My error would remain with me [and I would be conscious of it].

If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and plead my disgrace against me,

To mine own servant, I called, and he would not answer, With mine own mouth, I kept entreating him;

Oh would that my words were written! oh that they were inscribed in a book!

would God they were graven with an iron pen in lead or in stone.

But ye would say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?

That he favoured, that would he not forsake; but kept it close in his throat.

‘Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him,
And what would we gain if we entreat Him?’

“Behold, I know your thoughts,
And the plans by which you would wrong me.

Who would denounce his behavior to his face?
Who would repay him for what he has done?

Oh that I knew where I might find him! I would come even unto his dwelling-place;

“I would present my case before Him
And fill my mouth with arguments.

“I would learn the words which He would answer,
And perceive what He would say to me.

“Would He contend with me by the greatness of His power?
No, surely He would pay attention to me.

“There the upright would reason with Him;
And I would be delivered forever from my Judge.

But he knows the pathway that I take; if he tested me, I would come forth like gold.

The command of his lips, and would not go back, and, in my bosom, have I treasured the words of his lips.

“Therefore, I would be dismayed at His presence;
When I consider, I am terrified of Him.

“He wraps the waters in His clouds [which otherwise would spill on earth all at once],
And the cloud does not burst under them.

Far be it from me that {I would say that you are right}; until I pass away, I will not put away from me my blamelessness.

I would teach you, by the hand of GOD, That which is with the Almighty, will I not conceal.