There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one that feared God, and turned away from evil.

And it was so, when the days of their feasting were finished, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one that fears God, and turns away from evil?

Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Does Job fear God for nothing?

While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God has fallen from heaven, and has burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone am escaped to tell you.

In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God with wrong.

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one that fears God, and turns away from evil? and still he holds fast his integrity, although you moved me against him, to destroy him without cause.

Then said his wife unto him, Do you still retain your integrity? curse God, and die.

But he said unto her, You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. 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 that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.

For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then would I have been at rest,

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

I was not at ease, neither had I quiet, neither was I at rest; yet trouble came.

Remember, I pray you, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?

By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.

Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.

I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:

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

Lo this, we have searched it out, so it is; hear it, and know you it for your good.

For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison thereof drinks up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

O remember that my life is a breath: my eye shall no more see good.

Does God pervert judgment? or does the Almighty pervert justice?

If you would seek unto God early, and make your supplication to the Almighty;

While it is yet green, and not cut down, it withers before any other plant.

So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish:

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

Behold, God will not cast away a blameless man, neither will he help the evil doers:

I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just before God?

If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do bow before him.

Now my days are swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no good.

I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; show me why you contend with me.

Is it good unto you that you should oppress, that you should despise the work of your hands, and smile upon the counsel of the wicked?

But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against you;

And that he would show you the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves.

Can you by searching find out God? can you find out the limits of the Almighty?

I am as one mocked of his neighbor, who calls upon God, and he answers him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.

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

Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

Will you speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him?

Will you accept his person? will you contend for God?

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

He comes forth like a flower, and is cut down: he flees also as a shadow, and continues not.

For there is hope for a tree, if it is cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender shoots thereof will not cease.

Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches with which he can do no good?

Yea, you cast off fear, and restrain prayer before God.

Have you heard the council of God? and do you limit wisdom to yourself?

Are the consolations of God too small for you? on the word that deals gently with you?

That you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?

For he stretches out his hand against God, and strengthens himself against the Almighty.

God has delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.

My friends scorn me: but my eye pours out tears unto God.

O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleads for his neighbor!

His roots shall be dried up beneath, and above shall his branch be cut off.

Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knows not God.

Know now that God has overthrown me, and has compassed me with his net.

Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O you my friends; for the hand of God has touched me.

Why do you persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?

And though after my skin is thus destroyed, yet in my flesh shall I see God:

He has swallowed down riches, and he shall vomit them up again: God shall cast them out of his belly.

When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.

This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God.

Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.

Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of your ways.

How often is the lamp of the wicked put out! and how often comes their destruction upon them! God distributes sorrows in his anger.

God lays up his iniquity for his children: he recompenses him, and he shall know it.

For what pleasure has he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?

Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judges those that are on high.

One dies in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.

Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?

Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

And you say, How does God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?

Who were cut down before their time, whose foundation was swept away with a flood:

Who said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do to us?

Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

Surely our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumes.

Acquaint now yourself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto you.

For then shall you have your delight in the Almighty, and shall lift up your face unto God.

For God makes my heart soft, and the Almighty troubles me:

Because I was not cut off before the darkness, neither has he covered the darkness from my face.

Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded cries out: yet God charges not folly to them.

He evil treats the barren that bears not: and does not good to the widow.

They are exalted for a little while, but are gone and brought low; they are taken out of the way as all others, and cut off as the tops of the ears of grain.

How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?

As God lives, who has taken away my right; and the Almighty, who has made bitter my soul;

All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;

God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove my integrity from me.

For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he has gained, when God takes away his soul?

Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him?

Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?

I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.

This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty.

For God shall cast upon him, and not spare: he would scarcely flee out of his hand.

God understands its way, and he knows its place.

Oh that I were as in months past, as in the days when God preserved me;

As I was in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was upon my tent;