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

Hast not thou made an 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.

But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

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

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

And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.

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

Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.

Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.

Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?

Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:

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

For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.

Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.

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, which are crushed before the moth?

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

To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.

He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.

And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.

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

Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!

Can that which is unsavoury 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 meat.

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!

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

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

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

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

The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.

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

Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?

So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.

What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?

And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?

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

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

They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to nought.

If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

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

I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.

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 daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

That thou inquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin?

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

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

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

Wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had given up the ghost, and no eye had seen me!

Are not my days few? cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little,

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

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

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

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.

Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

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

Hold your peace, let me alone, that I may speak, and let come on me what will.

Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.

Who is he that will plead with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost.

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.

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

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

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

O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!

Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?

What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?

That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?

What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;

He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.

He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.

Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!

Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me?

He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail.

The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.

They that come after him shall be astonied at his day, as they that went before were affrighted.

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

These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.

And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.

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

He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.

They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.

Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!

That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.

That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?

That which he laboured for shall he restore, and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoice therein.

Surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, he shall not save of that which he desired.

All darkness shall be hid in his secret places: a fire not blown shall consume him; it shall go ill with him that is left in his tabernacle.

Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.