And the LORD said unto Satan, From where come you? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.

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?

Didst thou, not hedge about him and about his house, and about all that is to him from round about? Thou didst bless the work of his hands, and his possession spread abroad in the earth.

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

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.

And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I alone am escaped to tell you.

Then he said, "Naked I came out from my mother's womb, and naked I will return there. Yahweh gives, and Yahweh takes. Let Yahweh's name be blessed."

And the LORD said unto Satan, From where come you? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.

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.

So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot unto the crown of his head.

So he said to her, "You speak like one of the foolish women speaks. Indeed, should we receive the good from God, but not receive the evil?" In all this, Job did not sin with his lips.

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.

Thus they lifted up their eyes from afar, but they did not recognize him, so they raised their voice, and they wept, and each man tore his outer garment and threw dust on their heads {toward the sky}.

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

Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, nor hid sorrow from my eyes.

Why died I not from the womb? why did I not expire when I came out of the womb?

There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary are at rest.

The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.

That should be joy to the man whose way is hid, which God keepeth back from him.

In place of my food I have grief, and cries of sorrow come from me like water.

For, a dread, I dreaded, and it hath come upon me, and, that from which I shrank, hath overtaken me.

In reply, Eliphaz from Teman answered:

If we venture to converse with you, will you be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?

A word from you has supported those who have stumbled, and has strengthened faltering knees.

They perish at a single blast from God
and come to an end by the breath of His nostrils.

The lion perished from failure of prey, and the sons of the lioness shall be scattered.

"And a word came stealing to me, and my ear received [the] whisper from it.

In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,

how much less confidence does he have in those who dwell in houses of clay; who were formed from a foundation in dust and can perish like a moth?

They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish forever without any regarding it.

Is not their excess wealth taken away from them? They die, yet without attaining wisdom.

Call now, if there is answering thee; and to whom from the holy ones wilt thou turn?

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

whose harvest [the] hungry eats, and he takes it {from behind} [the] thorns; and [the] thirsty pants after their wealth.

For affliction comes not forth from the dust, neither does trouble spring out of the ground;

But trouble is man's fate from birth, as the flames go up from the fire.

But he saves the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.

Truly, that man is happy who has training from the hand of God: so do not let your heart be shut to the teaching of the Ruler of all.

{From} six troubles he will deliver you, and in seven evil shall not touch you.

In famine he shall redeem you from death: and in war from the power of the sword.

You shall be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shall you be afraid of destruction when it comes.

At desolation and at hunger thou shalt laugh, and from the beasts of the earth thou shalt not fear.

“You will know also that your tent is secure and at peace,
And you will visit your dwelling and fear no loss [nor find anything amiss].

"Will the wild donkey bray from hunger if fresh grass is beside him? Will the ox low from distress if it is near its feed?

“Then I would still have consolation,
And I would jump for joy amid unsparing pain,
That I have not denied or hidden the words of the Holy One.

Is not my help within me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?

To him that is afflicted pity should be shown from his friend; even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty.

torrents black from ice, in which the snow hides itself.

In time they dry up, they disappear; when it [is] hot, they vanish from their place.

Caravans turn away from their routes,
go up into the desert, and perish.

Travelers from Tema search intently; caravans from Sheba hope to find them.

Is it because I have said, 'Give to me,' or, 'Offer a bribe for me from your wealth'?

Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?

How pleasant are the sayings that are right! But what can a decision from you, decide?

“Turn away [from your suspicion], let there be no injustice;
Turn away, my righteousness and vindication is still in it.

When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.

"In addition, I won't keep my opinion to myself; I'll speak from my distressed spirit; I'll complain with my bitter soul.

When I say, In my bed I will have comfort, there I will get rest from my disease;

And thou hast affrighted me with dreams, And from visions thou terrifiest me,

I loathe [my life]; I would not live forever; depart from me, for my days [are] a breath.

How long will you not look away from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?

Then in response, Bildad from Shuah said:

If your children have done evil against him, then their punishment is from his hand.

Will they themselves not teach you [and] {tell you} and {utter} words from their heart?

If he is destroyed from his place, then it will deny him, saying, I have not seen you.

Look, this [is] the joy of his way, and from dust others will spring up.

The time will come when your mouth will be full of laughing, and cries of joy will come from your lips.

If he shall desire to contend with him, he shall not answer him one from a thousand.

[He is the one] who shakes [the] earth from its place, and its pillars tremble.

Who commands the sun, and it does not shine;
Who seals up the stars [from view];

whom I cannot answer, even though I am righteous? From my judge I must implore grace.

If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will depart from my heaviness and be of good cheer,

I go in fear of all my pains; I am certain that I will not be free from sin in your eyes.

"If I wash myself with water from snow, and cleanse my hands with lye,

Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:

"I am disgusted with living, so I'm going to talk about my complaint freely. I'll speak out from the bitterness of my soul.

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

If I sin, then you mark me, and you will not acquit me from my iniquity.

So why did you bring me forth from the womb? I should have passed away, {and no eye should have seen me}.

I would have been as though I had not been; I would have been carried from the womb to the grave.

[Are] not my days few? Let him leave [me] alone; let him turn from me, and let me rejoice a little.

before I go where I shall not return from, to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;

Zophar from Naamath had this to say:

“Shall a multitude of words not be answered?
And should a talkative man [making such a long-winded defense] be acquitted?

You may say, My way is clean, and I am free from sin in your eyes.

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."

If he goes on his way, shutting a man up and putting him to death, who may make him go back from his purpose?

If sin is in your hand, put it far away [from you],
And do not let wrongdoing dwell in your tents;

then you will hold your head high, free from fault.
You will be firmly established and unafraid.

For your sorrow will go from your memory, like waters flowing away:

But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and all refuge shall vanish from them, and their hope shall be the breathing out of life.

But put now a question to the beasts, and get teaching from them; or to the birds of the heaven, and they will make it clear to you;

He taketh away the subjection of the people from their kings, and girdeth their loins with a bond.

He taketh the verity from out of the mouth, and disappointeth the aged of their wisdom.

He reveals mysteries from the darkness
and brings the deepest darkness into the light.

He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth, and causes them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

and grope in the dark without light, staggering to and fro like drunken men.

Hold your peace from me, and I will speak, and let come on me what will!

Only do not two things unto me: then will I not hide myself from you.

Withdraw your hand far from me: and let not your dread make me afraid.