Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had 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 spoke a word to him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day.

Let the day perish in which I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a mail child conceived.

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

Let darkness and the shades of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

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

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

Let the stars of its twilight be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:

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

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

For the thing which I greatly feared hath come upon me, and that which I dreaded hath come to me.

If we essay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can refrain from speaking?

Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and my ear received a small sound of it.

Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.

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

Doth not their excellence which is in them depart? they die, even without wisdom.

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

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

Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.

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

To set on high those that are low: that those who mourn may be exalted to safety.

They meet with darkness in the day-time, and grope in the noon-day as in the night.

Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, as a shock of corn cometh in in its season.

The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful food.

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

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

The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.

Did I say, Bring to me? or Give a reward for me of your substance?

Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand in what I have erred.

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

Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident to you if I lie.

Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of a hireling?

So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.

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

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

He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.

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

If thou wouldst seek to God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers:

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

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

Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say to him, What doest thou?

If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

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

He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

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

If I am wicked, why then do I labor in vain?

I will say to God, Do not condemn me; show me why thou contendest with me.

Is it good to thee that thou shouldst oppress, that thou shouldst despise the work of thy hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?

If I be wicked, woe to me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head. I am full of confusion; therefore see thou my affliction;

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

Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness, and the shades of death;

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

Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?

It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?

And thy age shall be clearer than the noon-day: thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yes, many shall make suit to thee.

No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.

But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yes, who knoweth not such things as these?

He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare to thee.

He revealeth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth to light the shades of death.

He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.

What ye know, the same do I know also: I am not inferior to you.

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

Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

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

He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.

Your remembrances are like to ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay.

Why do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand?

Only do not two things to me: then will I not hide myself from thee.

How many are my iniquities and sins? make me to know my transgression and my sin.

Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?

For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth.

Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly to all my paths; thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet.

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

Though its root shall become old in the earth, and its stock die in the ground;

Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thy hands.

And surely the mountain falling cometh to naught, and the rock is removed out of its place.

His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.

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

Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?

Why doth thy heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,

To whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.

The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.

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

Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.

And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.

I also could speak as ye do: if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up words against you, and shake my head at you.

And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.

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

I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark.

My friends scorn me: but my eye poureth out tears to God.

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

But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.