While he was speaking, there came yet another, and said, "Thy sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house,

and suddenly there came a mighty great wind out of the South, and smote the four corners of the house: which fell upon thy children, so that they are dead, and I alone am gotten away, to tell thee."

Now when Job's friends heard of all the trouble that happened to him, there came three of them, every one from his own place: namely, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they were agreed together to come, to shew their compassion on him, and to comfort him.

So when they lift up their eyes afar off, they knew him not. Then they cried, and wept: then every one of them rent his clothes, and sprinkled dust upon their heads in the air.

Let the dark storm overcome that night; let it not be reckoned among the days of the year, nor counted in the months.

O that I utterly had no being, or were as a thing born out of time that is put aside, either as young children, which never saw the light.

There, must the wicked cease from their tyranny, there such as are overlaboured be at rest.

There, are those let out free which have been in prison, so that they hear no more the voice of the oppressor.

There, are small and great; the bondman, and he that is free from his master.

Thy words have set up those that were fallen, thou hast refreshed the weak knees.

Where is now thy fear of God, thy steadfastness, thy patience, and the perfectness of thy ways?

"Consider, I pray thee: who ever perished being an innocent? Or, when were the godly destroyed?

With the blast of God they perish, and with the breath of his anger are they consumed away.

The roaring of the lion, the voice of the lioness, and the teeth of the lion's whelps are broken.

The lion perisheth, for lack of prey, and the lion's whelps are scattered abroad.

"And unto me came the word secretly, and mine ear hath received a little thereof.

'Shall man be more just than God? Or shall man be purer than his maker?

that his children were without prosperity or health; that they were slain in the door, and no man to deliver them;

which doeth things, that are unsearchable, and marvelous without number.

which setteth up them of low degree, and sendeth prosperity to those that are in heaviness;

Which destroyeth the devices of the subtle, so that they are not able to perform the things that they take in hand;

In the midst of hunger he saveth thee from death: and when it is war, from the power of the sword.

Thou shalt come to thy grave in a fair age, like as the corn sheaves are brought in to the barn in due season.

Job answered, and said, "Oh that my misery were weighed, and my punishment laid in the balances:

This is the cause, that my words are so sorrowful.

For the arrows of the almighty are in me, whose indignation hath drunk up my spirit, and the terrible fears of God fight against me.

Doth the wild ass roar when he hath grass? Or crieth the ox, when he hath fodder enough?

That which is unsavory, shalt it be eaten without salt, or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

The things that sometime I might not away withal, are now my meat for very sorrow.

What power have I to endure? Or, what is mine end, that my soul might be patient?

Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh made of brass?

for the paths that they go in are crooked: they haste after vain things, and shall perish.

Confounded are they that put any confidence in them: For when they came to obtain the things that they looked for, they were brought to confusion.

Even so are ye also come unto me: but now that ye see my misery, ye are afraid.

"Did I desire you to come hither? Or to give me any of your substance?

To deliver me from the enemy's hand, or to save me from the power of the mighty?

How steadfast are the words of truth! And which of you can rebuke or reprove them?

Ye fall upon the fatherless, and go about to overthrow your own friend.

Wherefore look not only upon me, but upon yourselves: whether I lie, or no.

Turn into your own selves, I pray you: be indifferent judges, and consider my guiltlessness:

whether there be any unrighteousness in my tongue, or vain words in my mouth.

Is not the life of man upon earth a very battle? Are not his days like the days of a hired servant?

my days pass over more speedily than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.

Am I a sea, or a whalefish, that thou keepest me so in prison?

I can see no remedy. I shall live no more. O spare me then, for my days are but vain.

Doth God pervert the thing that is lawful? Or, doth the Almighty destroy the thing that is right?

For we are but of yesterday, and consider not that our days upon earth are but a very shadow.

May a rush be green without moisture, or may the grass grow without water?

He commandeth the sun, and it riseth not: he closeth up the stars, as it were under a signet.

He doth great things, such as are unsearchable, yea and wonders without number.

How should I then answer him? Or what words should I find out against him?

As for the world, he giveth it over into the power of the wicked; and he shall cover the faces of the judges thereof. Is it not so? Where is he - or who is he - that can show the contrary?

"My days are more swift than a runner: they are gone, and have seen no good thing.

They are passed away, as the ships that be good under sail, and as the Eagle that hasteth to the prey.

Hast thou fleshly eyes then, or doest thou look as a man looketh?

Are thy days as the days of man, and thy years as man's years,

Hast thou not turned me, as it were milk: and turned me to cruddes like cheese?

Thou huntest me out, being in heaviness, as it were a lion, and troublest me out of measure.

Thou bringest fresh witnesses against me, and thy wrath increasest thou upon me; very many are the plagues that I am in.

yea, into a land as dark as darkness itself, and into the shadow of death where is none order; but light there is as darkness."

Should men give ear unto thee only? Thou wilt laugh other men to scorn; and shall nobody mock thee again?

Though he turn all things upside down, close them in, or thrust them together, who dare check him therefore?

"Then, no doubt, ye are the men alone; and wisdom shall perish with you.

"The houses of robbers are in wealth and prosperity; and they that maliciously meddle against God, dwell without care: yea, God giveth all things richly with his hand.

Ask the cattle, and they shall inform thee; the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee.

Speak to the earth, and it shall show thee; or to the fishes of the sea, and they shall certify thee.

He carrieth away the wise men, as it were a spoil, and bringeth the judges out of their wits.

Lo, all this have I seen with mine eye, heard with mine ear, and understand it.

As for you, ye are workmasters of lies, and unprofitable physicians altogether.

Would God ye kept your tongue, that ye might be taken for wise men!

Will ye accept the person of God, or will ye contend with him?

Your remembrance shall be like unto the dust, and your pride shall be turned to clay.

"Hold your tongues now, and let me speak, for there is something come into my mind.

Hear my words, and ponder my sayings with your ears.

And then send for me to the law, that I may answer for myself: or else, let me speak, and give thou the answer.

"How great are my misdeeds and sins? Let me know my transgressions and offenses.

He cometh up and is cut down like a flower. He flyeth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one state.

The days of man are short, the number of his months are known only to thee. Thou hast appointed him his bounds; he cannot go beyond them.

The floods when they be dried up, and the rivers when they be empty, are filled again through the flowing waters of the sea:

O that thou wouldest keep me, and hide me in the hell, until thy wrath were stilled: and to appoint me a time, wherein thou mightest remember me.

Thou hast sealed up mine offenses, as it were in a bag: but be merciful unto my wickedness.

The mountains fall away at the last, the rocks are removed out of their place;

Whether his children come to worship or no, he cannot tell: And if they be men of low degree, he knoweth not.

Thou reprovest with words, that are worth nothing; and speakest the things which can do no good!

Art thou the first man that ever was born? Or, wast thou made before the hills?

With us are old and aged men; yea, such as have lived longer than thy forefathers.

Why doth thine heart make thee so proud? Why standest thou so greatly in thine own conceit? Where unto look thine eyes,

Behold, he doth not trust his saints; yea, the very heavens are not clean in his sight.

Sorrow and carefulness make him afraid, and compass him round about, like as it where a king with his host ready to the battle.

Therefore shall his dwelling be in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabits, but are become heaps of stones.

For the congregation of hypocrites is unfruitful, and the fire shall consume the houses of such as are greedy to receive gifts.

"I have oft times heard such things. Miserable givers of comfort are ye, all the sort of you.

Shall not thy vain words come yet to an end? Or, hast thou yet any more to say?

I could speak as ye do also. But would God, that your soul were in my soul's stead: then should I heap up words against you, and shake my head at you.

I should comfort you with my mouth, and release your pain with the talking of my lips.

I was some time in wealth, but suddenly hath he brought me to naught. He hath taken me by the neck, he hath rent me, and set me, as it were a mark for him to shoot at.

My face is swollen with weeping, and mine eyes are waxen dim.

yet the number of my years are come - and I must go the way from whence I shall not turn again.

My breath faileth, my days are shortened. I am hard at death's door.

Froward men are with me, and mine eye must continue in the bitterness of them.