There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was blameless and upright, and one that feared God, and turned away from evil.

His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

And it was so, when the days of their feasting were finished, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

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?

Have not you made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he has on every side? you have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions are increased in the land.

But put forth your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.

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.

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.

And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man has 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 spoke 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 rejoice among 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 into it.

Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to arouse leviathan.

Why did the knees receive me? or why the breasts that I should nurse?

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

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

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

Your words have upheld him that was falling, and you have 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, who are crushed before the moth?

Call now, if there be any that will answer you; and to which of the holy ones will you turn?

To set up on high those that are low; that those who mourn may be lifted to safety.

He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their plans.

And you shall know that your tabernacle shall be in peace; and you shall visit your habitation, and shall find nothing amiss.

You shall know also that your descendants shall be many, and your offspring as the grass of the earth.

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

Can that which is tasteless 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 loathsome food to me.

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 my end, that I should prolong my life?

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

My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks that pass away;

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

O remember that my life is a breath: my eye shall no more see good.

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

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

Am I a sea, or a sea monster, that you set a watch over me?

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

What is man, that you should magnify him? and that you should set your heart upon him?

And that you should visit him every morning, and test him every moment?

I have sinned; what shall I do unto you, O you preserver of men? why have you set me as a mark against you, 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 you shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling place of the wicked will come to nothing.

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 hastens to the prey.

I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that you will not hold me innocent.

For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in trial.

Neither is there any mediator between us, that might lay his hand upon us both.

Is it good unto you that you should oppress, that you should despise the work of your hands, and smile upon the counsel of the wicked?

That you inquire after my iniquity, and search after my sin?

You know that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of your hand.

Remember, I beseech you, that you have made me as the clay; and will you bring me into dust again?

And these things have you hid in your heart: I know that this is with you.

Why then have you brought me forth out of the womb? Oh that I had died, 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 you;

And that he would show you the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacts of you less than your iniquity deserves.

Because you shall forget your misery, and remember it as waters that pass away:

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

The tents of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God brings abundantly.

Who knows not among all these that the hand of the LORD has done this?

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

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

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

Behold now, I have prepared my case; I know that I shall be justified.

Who is he that will contend with me? for now, if I hold my tongue, I shall die.

And he, like a rotten thing, consumes, 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 you, you have appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;

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

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

O that you would hide me in the grave, that you would conceal me, until your wrath is past, that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!

Are you the first man that was born? or were you made before the hills?

What know you, that we know not? what understand you, which is not in us?

Are the consolations of God too small for you? on the word that deals gently with you?

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

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

I will show you, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;

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

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

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

Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldens you that you answer?

O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleads for his neighbor!

Lay down a surety for me with you; who is he that will give surety for me?

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

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

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

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

These ten times have you reproached me: you are not ashamed that you have wronged me.

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

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

They that dwell in my house, and my maidservants, count me as 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 engraved with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever!

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

Be yourselves afraid of the sword: for wrath brings the punishment of the sword, that you may know there is a judgment.

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