And it happened {one day} {that} the sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh, and Satan also came into their midst.

Have you not put a fence around him and his household and around {all that belongs to him} {on every side}? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock has increased in the land.

But, on the other hand, stretch out your hand and touch {all that belongs to him} [and see] {whether} he will {curse} you to your face."

So Yahweh said to Satan, "Look, {all that belongs to him} is in your {power}. Only do not stretch out your hand {against} him." So Satan went out from Yahweh's {presence}.

And behold, a great wind came from across the desert, and it struck the four corners of the house {so that} it fell upon the young people, and they died. But I escaped, [even] I alone, to tell you."

Then Satan answered him and said, "Skin for skin! All that {that} man has he will give for his life.

Thus Job's three friends heard of this calamity that had come upon him. So each set out from his [own] place: Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite. And they met together to come to console him and to comfort him.

Then they sat with him on the ground [for] seven days and seven nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw that {his} suffering was very great.

"Let [the] day perish on which I was born, and the night that said, 'A man-child is conceived.'

Let that day become darkness; may God not seek it from above, nor may daylight shine on it.

Let darkness seize that night; let it not rejoice among [the] days of [the] year; let it not enter among [the] number of [the] months.

Look, let that night become barren; let a joyful song not enter it.

Why did [the] knees receive me and the breasts, that I could suck?

because the dread that I {feel} has come upon me, and what I feared befalls me.

And you shall know that your tent [is] safe, and you will inspect your fold, and you shall not be missing [anything].

And you shall know that your offspring [are] many, and your descendants like the vegetation of the earth.

{I refused} to touch [them]; they [are] like {food that will make me ill}.

"{O that} my request may come, and [that] God may grant my hope,

that God would decide that he would crush me, [that] he would let loose his hand and {kill me}.

What [is] my strength, that I should wait? And what [is] my end, that {I should hold out}?

Remember that my life [is] a breath; my eye will not return to see good.

Am I [the] sea, or a sea monster, that you set a guard over me?

"What [is] a human being that you make him great and that {you fix your mind on him},

so that you visit him {every morning}, you test him {every moment}?

[If] I have sinned, what have I done to you, watcher of humanity? Why have you made me as a target for yourself, so that I have become a burden to myself?

"Truly I know that [it is] so, but how can a human being be just before God?

If I summon [him], and he should answer me, I do not believe that he will listen to my voice--

I become afraid of all my sufferings; I know that you do not consider me innocent.

"For [he is] not a mortal like me [that] I can answer him, [that] {we can come to trial together}.

There is no arbiter between us [that] he might lay his hand on both of us.

Is it good for you that you oppress, that you despise the labor of your hands, and you smile over the schemes of [the] wicked?

that you seek out my iniquity, and you search for my sin

because of your knowledge that I am not guilty, and there is no escaping from your hand?

Please remember that you made me like clay, but you turn me into dust [again]?

" 'Yet you hid these [things] in your heart; I know that this {was your purpose}.

to [the] land of darkness, like [the] darkness of a deep shadow and {chaos}, so that it shines forth like darkness.'"

But, {O that} God might speak, and [that] he would open his lips to you,

and [that] he would tell you [the] secrets of wisdom, for {insight has many sides}. And know that God {on your behalf} has forgotten {some of} your guilt.

For you yourself will forget your misery; you will remember [it] as water [that] has flowed past.

Who among all of these does not know that Yahweh's hand has done this?

{O that} you would keep completely silent, and [that] it would become wisdom for you.

Moreover, this [is] salvation to me, that [the] godless would not come {before him}.

Please look, I have prepared [my] case; I know that I myself will be vindicated.

And he himself wastes away like something rotten, like a garment that [the] moth has eaten.

"{O that} you would conceal me in Sheol, [that] you would hide me {until your wrath is past}, [that] you would appoint a set time for me and remember me.

Should he argue in talk [that] is not profitable or [in] words with which he cannot do good?

What do you know that we do not know? [What] do you understand that [is] not clear to us?

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

"What [is] a human being, that he can be clean, or that [one] born of a woman can be righteous?

what wise men have told, and they have not hidden [that which is] from their ancestors,

"All of the wicked [one's] days he is writhing, even [through] the number of years that are laid up for the tyrant.

{He cannot trust that he will return} from darkness, and he himself is destined for [the] sword.

"He is wandering for bread, [saying], 'Where [is it]?' He knows that a day of darkness [is] ready {at hand}.

{he will dwell} [in] desolate cities, in houses that they should not inhabit, which are destined for rubble.

[Is there] a limit to windy words? What provokes you that you answer?

These ten times you have disgraced me; you are not ashamed [that] you have attacked me.

know then that God has wronged me and has surrounded me [with] his net.

He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass; and he has set darkness upon my paths.

"{O that} my words could be written down! {O that they could be inscribed in a scroll}!

[That] with a pen of iron and [with] lead they might be engraved on a rock forever!

But I myself know [that] my redeemer [is] alive, and [at the] last he will stand up upon {the earth}.

be afraid for yourselves {because of the sword}, for wrath [brings] punishment by [the] sword, so that you may know that [there is] judgment."

I hear discipline that insults me, and a spirit beyond my understanding answers me.

that [the] rejoicing of [the] wicked [is] {short}, and the joy of [the] godless {lasts only a moment}?

[The] eye [that] saw him {will not see him again}, and his place will no longer behold him.

Because he has not known satisfaction in his stomach, {he lets nothing escape that he desires}.

Who [is] Shaddai that we should serve him, or what would we benefit when we plead with him?'

[How often] are they like straw {before} the wind, and like chaff that [the] storm carries away?

'God stores up his iniquity for his children'? [Then] let him repay [it] to him that he may know.

Thick clouds [are] a covering for him, so that he does not see; and he walks about on [the] dome of heaven.'

Will you keep [to the] way of old that [the] people of mischief have trod,

Indeed, then you will delight yourself in Shaddai, and {you will expect that God will be good to you}.

{O that} I knew and [that] I might find him; [O that] I might come to his dwelling.

But he knows {the way that I take}; he tests me--I shall come out like gold.

"How you have helped {one who has no power}! [How] you have assisted [the] arm {that has no strength}!

Look, these [are] the outer fringes of his ways, and {how faint is the word} [that] we hear of him! But who can understand the thunder of his power?"

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 will teach you about God's hand; I will not conceal that [which is] with Shaddai.

"He builds his house like the moth, and like a booth [that] a watchman has made.

"{O that I were} as [in] the months before, as [in] the days [when] God watched over me,

{so that they dwell} [in] holes of [the] ground and [in the] rocks.

Indeed, I know [that] you will bring me to death and [to the] house of assembly for all [the] living.

for that [is] a shameful act, and that [is] {a criminal offense}.

Indeed, that [is] a fire that will consume up to Abaddon, and it would uproot all my crop.

if I have seen [the one who] perishes because of no clothing or [that] there is no covering for the poor,

{Have the people of my tent not said}, '{O that} someone had not been satisfied with his meat'?

because I dreaded [the] great multitude, and [the] contempt of clans terrified me, so that I kept quiet, I did not go out of [the] doorway?

{O that} {I had} someone hearing me! Here is my signature; let Shaddai answer me! {As for} [the] written communication [that] {my adversary} has written,

When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, {he became angry}.

Let me speak {that I may find relief}; let me open my lips, and let me answer.

Why do you contend against him, that he will not answer all a person's words?

{so that} his life loathes bread, and his inner self [loathes] {appetizing food}.

{so that} he is gracious [to] him, and he says, 'Deliver him from descending into [the] pit; I have found a ransom.'

to bring his life back from [the] pit {so that he may enjoy the light of life}.

"Therefore, listen to me, {people who have sense}: far be it from God {that he should commit wickedness} and that Shaddai {should do wrong}.

Therefore he knows their works, and he overturns [them] [in the] night {so that} they are crushed.

so that [they] cause [the] cry of distress from [the] helpless to come to him, and he hears [the] cry of distress from [the] needy,

so that godless human beings should not reign, nor those who ensnare [the] people.

Would that Job were tested up to [the] end because [his] answers [are] like [those from] men of mischief,

"Look at [the] heavens, and see; and observe [the] clouds [that] are higher than you.