1 There was a man in the land of Uz, called Job. And this man was an upright and just man, one who feared God and turned away from evil.

² And he had seven sons and three daughters.

³ Also, the number of his livestock were seven thousand sheep and three thousand camels and five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred female donkeys. And his family was very great, so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the East.

⁴ And his sons went and banqueted in their houses, each on his day, and sent and called their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

⁵ And when the days of their banqueting had completed their cycle, 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 thought, “It may be that my sons have sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts.” Thus did Job every day.

⁶ Now, on a day when the children of God came and stood before the LORD, Satan also came among them.

⁷ Then the LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” And Satan answered the LORD, saying, “From going to and fro on the Earth. And from walking in it.”

⁸ And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you not considered My servant, Job, how no one is like him on the Earth, an upright and just man, one who fears God and turns away from evil?”

⁹ Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing?”

¹⁰ “Haven’t You made a hedge around him and around his house and around all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands. And his possessions have increased in the land.

¹¹ “But now, stretch out Your Hand and touch all that he has, to see if he will not blaspheme You to Your Face.”

¹² Then the LORD said to Satan, “Lo, all that he has is in your hand. Only, you shall not stretch out your hand upon him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the LORD.

¹³ And on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house,

¹⁴ there came a messenger to Job, and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding in their places,

¹⁵ “and the Sabeans came violently and took them. Indeed, they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword. But only I have escaped, alone, to tell you.”

¹⁶ And while he was still speaking, another came, and said, “The fire of God has fallen from the sky and has burnt up the sheep and the servants and devoured them. But only I have escaped, alone, to tell you.”

¹⁷ And while he was still speaking, another came, and said, “The Chaldeans appointed three bands and attacked the camels, and have taken them, and have killed the servants with the edge of the sword. But only I have escaped, alone, to tell you.”

¹⁸ And while he was still speaking, another came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house,

¹⁹ “and behold, there came a great wind from beyond the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, which fell upon the children and they are dead. And only I have escaped, alone, to tell you.”

²⁰ Then Job arose and tore his garment and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground and worshipped,

²¹ and said, “Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there. The LORD has given. And the LORD has taken it. Blessed be the Name of the LORD.”

²² In all this, Job did not sin or blame God foolishly.

2 And one day, the children of God came and stood before the LORD. And Satan also came among them and stood before the LORD.

² Then the LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” And Satan answered the LORD, and said, “From going to and fro on the Earth, and from walking in it.”

³ And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you not considered My servant, Job, how no one is like him on the Earth, an upright and just man, one who fears God and turns away from evil? For he still continues in his uprightness, although you moved Me against him, to destroy him without cause.”

⁴ And Satan answered the LORD, and said, “Skin for skin! And all that a man has, he will give for his life.

⁵ “But now, stretch out Your Hand and touch his bones and his flesh, to see if he will not blaspheme You to Your Face.”

⁶ Then the LORD said to Satan, “Lo, he is in your hand. But preserve his life.”

⁷ So Satan departed from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils, from the sole of his foot to the top of his head.

⁸ And he took a potsherd to scrape himself. And he sat down among the ashes.

⁹ Then his wife said to him, “Do you still continue in your uprightness? Blaspheme God and die!”

¹⁰ But he said to her, “You speak like a foolish woman. What? Shall we receive good from the Hand of God, and not receive misery?” In all this, Job did not sin with his lips.

¹¹ Now, when Job’s three friends heard of all this calamity that had come upon him, they came, everyone from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had agreed together to come to lament with him, and to comfort him.

¹² So, when they lifted up their eyes from far off, they did not know him. Therefore, they lifted up their voices and wept. And every one of them tore his garment and sprinkled dust upon his head, toward the sky.

¹³ So they sat by him, upon the ground, for seven days and seven nights. And no one spoke a word to him. For they saw that the grief was very great.

3 Afterward, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.

² And Job cried out, and said,

³ “Let the day on which I was born perish, and the night when it was said, ‘There is a male child conceived.’

⁴ “Let that day be darkness. Do not let God seek it from above or let the light shine upon it.

⁵ “Let darkness, and the shadow of death, stain it. Let the cloud remain upon it. And let them make it fearful, as a bitter day.

⁶ “Let darkness possess that night. Do not let it be joined to the days of the year or let it come into the count of the months.

⁷ “Yea, let that night be desolate! And let no joy be in it!

⁸ “Let those who curse the day, curse it (being ready to renew their mourning).

⁹ “Let the stars of that twilight be dim through the darkness of it. Let it look for light but have none. Nor let it see the dawning of the day,

¹⁰ “because it did not shut up the doors of my mother’s womb or hide sorrow from my eyes.

¹¹ “Why did I not die at birth? Or why did I not die when I came out of the womb?

¹² “Why did the knees prevent me? And why did I suck the breasts?

¹³ “For I would now have lain down and been quiet. I would have slept then, and been at rest

¹⁴ “with the kings and counselors of the Earth, who have built themselves desolate places,

¹⁵ “or with the princes who had gold and have filled their houses with silver.

¹⁶ “Or, why was I not hidden, as a stillborn birth, or as infants who have not seen the light?

¹⁷ “There the wicked have ceased from tyranny. And there those who labored valiantly are at rest.

¹⁸ “The prisoners rest together, not hearing the voice of the oppressor.

¹⁹ “The small and great are there. And the servant is free from his master.

²⁰ “Why is the light given to him who is in misery, and life to those who have heavy hearts,

²¹ “who long for death? And if it does not come, they will search for it even more than treasures,

²² “who rejoice exceedingly and are glad when they can find the grave.

²³ “Why is the light given to the man whose way is hidden, and whom God has hedged in?

²⁴ “For my sighing comes before I eat. And my roarings are poured out like the water.

²⁵ “For the thing I feared has come upon me. And the thing that I was afraid of has come to me.

²⁶ “I had no peace. Nor had I quietness. Nor had I rest. Yet trouble has come.”

38 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

² “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

³ “Now gird up your loins, like a man. I will demand of you, and you declare to Me.

⁴ “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the Earth? Declare, if you have understanding.

⁵ “Who has laid its measures, if you know. Or who has stretched the line over it.

⁶ “Upon what are its foundations set. Or who laid its cornerstone

⁷ “when the stars of the morning praised together, and all the children of God rejoiced?

⁸ “Or who has shut up the sea with doors, when it issued and came forth as out of the womb,

⁹ “when I made the clouds as its covering, and darkness as its swaddling bands,

¹⁰ “when I established My Commandment upon it, and set bars and doors,

¹¹ “and said, ‘To here shall you come, but no further. And here shall it stop your proud waves’?

¹² “Have you ever commanded the morning in all your life? Have you caused the morning to know its place,

¹³ “so that it might take hold of the corners of the Earth, and so that the wicked might be shaken out of it?

¹⁴ “It is turned, as clay under a seal. And all stand up as a garment.

¹⁵ “And their light shall be withheld from the wicked, and the raised arm shall be broken.

¹⁶ “Have you entered into the springs of the sea? Or have you walked to seek out the depths?

¹⁷ “Have the gates of death been opened to you? Or have you seen the gates of the shadow of death?

¹⁸ “Have you perceived the breadth of the Earth? Tell if you know all this.

¹⁹ “Where is the way where light dwells? And where is the place of darkness,

²⁰ “so that you should receive it in its bounds, and so that you should know the paths to its house?

²¹ “Did you know it because you were alive then, and the number of your days is great?

²² “Have you entered into the treasures of the snow? Or have you seen the treasures of the hail

²³ “which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of war and battle?

²⁴ “By what way is the light parted which scatters the East wind upon the Earth?

²⁵ “Who has divided the spouts for the rain, or the way for the lightning of the thunders,

²⁶ “to cause it to rain on the Earth where no man is, and in the wilderness where there is no man,

²⁷ “to satisfy the wild and waste place, and to cause the bud of the herb to spring forth?

²⁸ “Who is the father of the rain? Or who has begotten the drops of the dew?

²⁹ “Out of whose womb came the ice? Who has borne the frost of the heaven?

³⁰ “The waters are hidden as a stone, and the face of the depth is frozen.

³¹ “Can you restrain the sweet influences of the Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

³² “Can you bring forth Mazzaroth in their time? Can you also guide Arcturus with his sons?

³³ “Do you know the course of heaven, or can you set its rule on the Earth?

³⁴ “Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that the abundance of water may cover you?

³⁵ “Can you send the lightning so that it may walk, and say to you, ‘Lo, here we are’?

³⁶ “Who has put wisdom in the core? Or who has given the heart understanding?

³⁷ “Who can number clouds by wisdom? Or who can cause the bottles of heaven to cease

³⁸ “when the Earth grows into hardness, and the clots hold together?”

39 “Will you hunt the prey for the lion? Or fill the appetite of the lion’s whelps

² “when they crouch in their places, and remain in the lair to lie in wait?

³ “Who provides game for the raven when its offspring cry to God, and wander for lack of food?

⁴ “Do you know the time when the wild goats bring forth young? Do you mark when the hinds calve?

⁵ “Can you number the months that they fulfill? Or do you know the time when they bring forth?

⁶ “They bow themselves. They bruise their young and cast out their sorrows.

⁷ “Their young grow fat and grow up with grain. They go forth and do not return to them.

⁸ “Who has set the wild donkey at liberty? Or who has loosed the bonds of the wild donkey,

⁹ “who has made the wilderness his house, and the salt places his dwellings?

¹⁰ He derides the multitude of the city. He does not hear the cry of the driver.

¹¹ “He seeks out the mountain for his pasture, and searches after every green thing.

¹² “Will the wild ox serve you? Or will he wait by your crib?

¹³ “Can you bind the wild ox with his band in the furrow? Or will he plow the valleys after you?

¹⁴ “Will you trust in him, because his strength is great, and cast off your labor to him?

¹⁵ “Will you believe in him, that he will bring home your seed and gather it into your barn?

¹⁶ “Did you give the pleasant wings to the peacocks, or wings and feathers to the ostrich,

¹⁷ “which leaves its eggs in the earth, and makes them warm in the dust,

¹⁸ “and forgets that the foot might scatter them, or that the wild beast might break them?

¹⁹ “She shows herself cruel to her young ones, as if they were not hers. Yet, she is without concern, though she travailed in vain.

²⁰ “For God has deprived her of wisdom and has given her no part of understanding.

²¹ “When time, she mounts on high. She mocks the horse and its rider.

²² “Have you given the horse strength, covered its neck with a mane?

²³ “Have you made him afraid, as the grasshopper? His strong snorting is fearful.

²⁴ “He digs in the valley and rejoices in strength. He goes forth to meet the armoured.

²⁵ “He mocks at fear, and is not afraid, and does not turn back from the sword.

²⁶ “The quiver rattles against him and the glittering spear and the shield.

²⁷ “He swallows the ground from fierceness and rage, and he does not believe that it is the noise of the trumpet.

²⁸ “He says among the trumpets, ‘Ha, ha!’ He smells the battle far off, and the noise of the captains, and the shouting.

²⁹ “Shall the hawk fly by your wisdom, his wings toward the South?

³⁰ “Does the eagle mount up at your commandment, or make his nest on high?

³¹ “She abides and remains in the rock, upon the top of the rock, and the tower.

³² “From there she spies for food. Her eyes look far away.

³³ “Her young ones also suck up blood. And where the slain are, there she is.”

³⁴ Moreover the LORD spoke to Job, and said,

³⁵ “Shall he who strives with the Almighty instruct? He who reproves God, let him answer for it.”

³⁶ Then Job answered the LORD, saying,

³⁷ “Behold, I am vile. What shall I answer You? I will lay my hand upon my mouth.

³⁸ “I have spoken once, but I will answer no more. Indeed, twice, but I will proceed no further.”

40 Again the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

² “Now gird up your loins, like a man. I will demand of you, and you answer Me.

³ “Will you nullify My judgment? Will you condemn Me, so that you may be justified?

⁴ “Or do you have an Arm like God? Or do you thunder with a voice like Him?

⁵ “Deck yourself, now, with majesty and excellency, and array yourself with beauty and glory.

⁶ “Cast abroad the indignation of your wrath, and behold everyone who is proud, and humble him.

⁷ “Look upon everyone who is arrogant. Bring him low and destroy the wicked in their place.

⁸ “Hide them in the dust together. Bind their faces in a secret place.

⁹ “Then I will confess to you, also, so that your right hand can save you.

¹⁰ “Behold, now, Behemoth (whom I made along with you) which eats grass as an ox.

¹¹ “Behold, now, his strength in his loins, and his force in the navel of his belly.

¹² “He takes pleasure in his tail, which is like a cedar. The sinews of his stones are wrapped together.

¹³ “His bones are like tubes of copper, his small bones like bars of iron.

¹⁴ “He is the chief of the ways of God. He Who made him will make his sword approach Him.

¹⁵ “Surely the mountains bring him forth grass, where all the beasts of the field play.

¹⁶ “He lies under the trees, in the covert of reed and marsh.

¹⁷ “The trees cover him with their shadow. The willows of the river surround him.

¹⁸ “Behold, he drinks up the river and does not hurry. He trusts that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.

¹⁹ “He takes it with his eyes and thrusts his nose through whatever meets him.

²⁰ “Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook, and with a line which you shall cast down into his tongue?

²¹ “Can you cast a hook into his nose? Can you pierce his jaws with an angle?

²² “Will he make many prayers to you and speak softly to you?

²³ “Will he make a covenant with you? Will you take him as a servant forever?

²⁴ “Will you play with him, as with a bird? Or will you bind him for your maids?

²⁵ “Shall the companions banquet with him? Shall they divide him among the merchants?

²⁶ “Can you fill the basket with his skin? Or the fishing spear with his head?

²⁷ “Lay your hand upon him. Remember the battle. And do no more so!

²⁸ “Behold, his hope is in vain. Shall one not perish even at the sight of him?”

41 “No one is so fierce who dares stir him up. Who, then, is he who can stand before Me?

² “Who has preceded Me that I should appease? All under heaven is Mine.

³ “I will not keep silent concerning his parts, or his power, or his comely proportion.

⁴ “Who can discover the face of his garment? Who shall come to him with a double bridle?

⁵ “Who shall open the doors of his face? His teeth are fearful all around.

⁶ “The majesty of his scales is like strong shields and are sure-sealed.

⁷ “One is so near to another, so that no wind can come between them.

⁸ “One is joined to another. They stick together, so that they cannot be parted.

⁹ “His sneezes make the light shine, and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.

¹⁰ “Out of his mouth go lamps, and sparks of fire leap out.

¹¹ “Out of his nostrils comes out smoke, as out of a boiling pot or caldron.

¹² “His breath makes the coals burn, for a flame goes out of his mouth.

¹³ “In his neck remains strength, and labor is rejected before his face.

¹⁴ “The members of his body are joined. They are strong in themselves and cannot be moved.

¹⁵ “His heart is as strong as a stone, and as hard as the lower millstone.

¹⁶ “The mighty are afraid of his majesty. They faint in themselves for fear.

¹⁷ “When the sword touches him, he will not rise up. Nor for the spear, dart or javelin.

¹⁸ “He esteems iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood.

¹⁹ “The archer cannot make him flee. The stones of the sling are turned into stubble to him.

²⁰ “The darts are counted as straw, and he laughs at the shaking of the spear.

²¹ “Sharp stones are under him, and he spreads sharp things upon the mire.

²² “He makes the depth boil like a pot, and makes the sea like a pot of ointment.

²³ “He makes a path shine after him. One would think the deep had white hair.

²⁴ “There is no one like him on the Earth. He is made without fear.

²⁵ “He beholds all high things. He is a king over all the children of pride.”

42 Then Job answered the LORD, and said,

² “I know that You can do all things, and that there is no thought hidden from You.

³ “Who is he who hides counsel without knowledge? Therefore, I have spoken of that which I did not understand, things too wonderful for me and which I did not know.

⁴ “Please hear, and I will speak. I will ask You, and You tell me.

⁵ “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear. But now my eye sees You.

⁶ “Therefore, I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

⁷ Now, after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD also said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends. For you have not spoken the thing that is right about Me, like my servant Job.

⁸ “Therefore, take to you now seven bullocks and seven rams and go to My servant, Job, and offer up for yourselves a Burnt Offering. And My servant, Job, shall pray for you. For I will accept him. Lest I should put you to shame because you have not spoken the thing which is right about Me, like my servant Job.”

⁹ So Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, went and did according as the LORD had said to them. And the LORD accepted Job.

¹⁰ Then the LORD turned the fortunes of Job, when he prayed for his friends. Also, the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.

¹¹ Then all his brothers came to him, and all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, and ate bread with him in his house, and had compassion on him, and comforted him for all the misery that the LORD had brought upon him. And every man gave him a piece of money, and everyone an earring of gold.

¹² So the LORD blessed the last days of Job more than the first. For he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys.

¹³ He also had seven sons and three daughters.

¹⁴ And he called the name of one, Jemimah, and the name of the second, Keziah, and the name of the third, Keren-Happuch.

¹⁵ In all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job. And their father gave them inheritance among their brothers.

¹⁶ And after this, Job lived a hundred forty years, and saw his sons and his son’s sons, for four generations.

¹⁷ So Job died, being old and full of days.