There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and shunned evil.

And the LORD said to Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and shunneth evil?

Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thy hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

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

And the LORD said to Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand; but save his life.

But he said to her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Let the day perish in which I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a mail child conceived.

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

Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.

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

Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul;

Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?

If we essay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can refrain from speaking?

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

Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth?

Doth not their excellence which is in them depart? they die, even without wisdom.

Call now, if there is any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?

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 robber swalloweth up their substance.

Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.

They meet with darkness in the day-time, and grope in the noon-day as in the night.

Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

Thou shalt know also that thy seed will be great, and thy offspring as the grass of the earth.

Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, as a shock of corn cometh in in its season.

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

Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?

Can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful food.

What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is my end, that I should prolong my life?

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

Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?

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

My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;

Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and in which the snow is hid:

In the time when they become warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?

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

Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yes, return again, my righteousness is in it.

Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?

Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of a hireling?

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

My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken and become lothsome.

O remember that my life is wind: my eye will no more see good.

As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.

What is man, that thou shouldst magnify him? and that thou shouldst set thy heart upon him?

I have sinned; what shall I do to thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?

Whilst it is yet in its greenness, and not cut down, it withereth before any other herb.

Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web.

He is green before the sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden.

Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.

He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

This is one thing, therefore I said it, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of its judges; if not, where, and who is he?

They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.

For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.

Neither is there any judge between us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.

My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

Is it good to thee that thou shouldst oppress, that thou shouldst despise the work of thy hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?

Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man's days,

Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thy hand.

Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again?

Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me like cheese?

And these things hast thou hid in thy heart: I know that this is with thee.

For it increaseth. Thou huntest me as a fierce lion: and again thou showest thyself wonderful upon me.

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

A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shades of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.

For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thy eyes.

And that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thy iniquity deserveth.

It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

The measure of it is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea.

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

If iniquity is in thy hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

And thy age shall be clearer than the noon-day: thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yes, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the expiration of the breath.

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yes, who knoweth not such things as these?

I am as one mocked by his neighbor, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is derided.

He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.

He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

Is it good that he should search you out? or as one man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall expire.

And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth-eaten.

Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.

He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.

Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months is with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as a hireling, his day.

For there is hope of a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its tender branch will not cease.

But man dieth, and wasteth away: yes, man yieldeth his breath, and where is he?