There once was a man in the land of Uz named Job. The man was blameless as well as upright. He feared God and kept away from evil.

When their time of feasting had concluded, Job would rise early in the morning to send for them and consecrate them to God. He would offer a burnt offering for each one, because Job thought, "Perhaps my children sinned by cursing God in their hearts." Job did this time and again.

Then the LORD asked Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on earth. The man is blameless as well as upright. He fears God and keeps away from evil."

But in response, Satan asked the LORD, "Does Job fear God for nothing?

and exclaimed: "I left my mother's womb naked, and I will return to God naked. The LORD has given, and the LORD has taken. May the name of the LORD be blessed."

Job neither sinned nor charged God with wrongdoing in all of this.

The LORD asked Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on earth. The man is blameless as well as upright. He fears God and keeps away from evil. He remains firm in his integrity, even though you have been urging me to overwhelm him without cause."

Then his wife told him, "Do you remain firm in your integrity? Curse God and die!"

But he replied to her, "You're talking like foolish women do. Are we to accept what is good from God but not tragedy?" Throughout all of this, Job did not sin by what he said.

Let that day be dark; let God above not care about it; let no light shine over it.

"Why does God give light to the sufferer or life to the bitter person:

To the formerly successful man who lost his way in life, and God fenced him in?

I will not be at ease; I will not be quiet; I will not rest; because trouble has arrived."

"Will you get offended if somebody tries to talk to you? Who can keep from speaking at a time like this?

"Your fear of God has been your confidence, hasn't it? The integrity of your life has been your hope, hasn't it?

They perish by the breath of God; they are consumed by the storm that is his anger.

"Can a mortal person be more righteous than God? Or can the purity of the valiant exceed that of his maker?'

"Now as for me, I would seek God if I were you; I would commit my case to God.

"Indeed, how blessed is the person whom God reproves! So never disrespect the discipline of the Almighty,

"Look! We have thought all this through, and what we've said is true; So please listen and learn for your own good!"

"The arrows of the Almighty have pierced me; my spirit absorbs their poison; God's terrors have been arranged just for me!

"Who will grant my wish? I wish God would grant what I'm hoping for:

that God would just be willing to crush me; that he would let loose and eliminate me!

Remember that my life is a breath; my eyes won't go back to seeing good things.

Does God pervert justice? Does the Almighty pervert what's right?

If you seek God, if you ask the Almighty for mercy,

Such are the paths of everyone who forgets God the hope of the godless will be destroyed:

"Indeed, this is the benefit of God's way: from the soil other plants will sprout.

Surely God won't reject those who are blameless or hold hands with those who practice evil.

"Indeed, I'm fully aware that this is so, but how can a person become right with God?

"God doesn't restrain his anger. Rahab's assistants are humiliated under him.

A land is given into the hands of a wicked person; he covers the faces of its judges. If it is not God, then who is it?"

"My days pass faster than a runner; but they pass quickly without seeing anything good.

I'll say to God, "Don't condemn me! Let me know why you are fighting me.

You've said, "My teaching is flawless; I'm clean in God's sight.'

"But what if God were to speak? What if he were to talk with you,

and disclose his wise secrets? After all, there's so much more to understanding. So be aware that God will exact from you less than your sin deserves."

"Can you search through God's complex things? Can you uncover the limits of the Almighty?

"I'm a laughingstock to my friends, someone who called on God. But then he answered this upright and blameless man, and I have become a laughingstock.

The tents of robbers are at rest, and those who provoke God are secure, that is, those who carry their god in their pocket.

With God is wisdom and strength; counsel and understanding belongs to him.

"With God are strength and sound wisdom; both the deceived and those who deceive are responsible to him.

But I want to talk to the Almighty; and I'm determined to argue my case before God."

Why do you speak falsely on God's behalf and speak deceitfully about him?

Will you show partiality to him? Will you plead God's case?

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

"There is hope for the tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots won't stop growing.

so also a person lies down and does not get up; they won't awaken until the heavens are no more, nor will they arise from their sleep."

Yet you dispense with fear of God and hinder meditations before God.

Have you listened in on God's secret council? Have you limited wisdom only to yourself?

Are God's encouragements inconsequential to you, even a word that has been spoken gently to you?

that you turn your anger against God and speak words like this?

Look, if God doesn't trust his holy ones, if even the heavens aren't pure as he looks at them,

"For he has raised his fist against God, defying the Almighty.

He won't escape darkness; a flame will wither his shoots; and he'll depart by the breath of God's mouth.

"God has certainly worn me out; you devastated my entire world.

God has delivered me over to the ungodly, throwing me into the control of the wicked.

My friends mock me, while my eyes overflow with tears to God,

crying for him to arbitrate between this man and God; as a human being does with his fellow neighbor.

His roots wither underneath, while his branches above are being cut off.

Indeed, the residences of the wicked are like this; and so are the homes of those who don't know God."

then at least you must know that God has accused me of wrong, and trapped me with his net."

Even little children hate me; when I get up, they mock me.

"Be gracious to me, be gracious to me, my friends, because God's hand has struck me.

Why are you chasing me, as God has been doing? Aren't you satisfied that I'm sick?

Even after my skin has been destroyed, clothed in my flesh I will see God,

Make sure that you remain wary of God's sword, for God's wrath brings with it the sword of punishment, by which you'll know there's a judgment."

"Though he swallows wealth, he will vomit it; God will dislodge it from his stomach.

"Since his appetite won't quit; he won't let anything escape his lust.

"It will come about that, when he has filled himself to the full, God will vent his burning anger on him; he will pour it out on him and on his body.

A flood will wash away his house; dragging it away when God becomes angry.

This is what the wicked person inherits from God; it is the inheritance that God appoints for him."

Their houses are safe from fear, and God's chastisement never visits them.

"They say to God, "Turn away from us! We have no desire to know your ways.

"How often do the wicked have their lights put out? Does calamity ever fall on them? Will God in his anger ever apportion their destruction?

God stores up their iniquity to repay their children; making them repay so that they may be aware.

"Can God learn anything? After all, he will judge even the exalted ones.

Others die with a bitter soul, never having tasted the good life.

"Can a human being be useful to God, since he, who is wise, is sufficient to himself?

"Isn't God in heaven above? Consider how far away the stars are, and how lofty they are!

You've asked, "What does God know? Can he sort through pitch black darkness?'

They told God, "Get away from us!' and "What will the Almighty do to them?'

"Though God fills their houses with good things, the counsel of the wicked will remain far from me.

"Get to know God, and you'll be at peace with him, and then prosperity will come to you.

"Then you'll take delight in the Almighty; and will turn your face toward God.

God has caused me to faint; the Almighty makes me terrified!

From the city, dying men groan aloud, and the wounded cries out for help, but God charges no one with wrong.

The womb will forget them. Maggots will find them to be a delicacy! They won't be remembered anymore, their iniquity will be cut to pieces like firewood.

God prolongs the life of the strong by his power, but they get up in the morning without purpose in life.

They're exalted momentarily, but then they are gone; they are humbled, just like all the others. They are cut down like heads of corn.

"Dominion and fear belong to God; who fashions peace in his high heaven.

How can a human being become right with God? How can a human being be pure?

Sheol is naked before God and Abaddon has no clothes.

"The living God has withheld justice from me; the Almighty has made my life bitter.

As long as I can breathe; as long as God's breath is in my nostrils,

For where is the hope of the godless when he is eliminated; when God takes away his life?

Will God hear his cry when distress overtakes him?

Will he take delight in the Almighty? Will he call on God at all times?"

"I'll teach you about the power of God, that which is with the Almighty I won't conceal.

"This is what a wicked person inherits from God, and what the ruthless will receive from the Almighty: