And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”

And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

and suddenly a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; and I alone have escaped to tell you!”

And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”

So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Job’s Three Friends

Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him.

And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven.

Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother’s womb, Nor hide sorrow from my eyes.

“Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from 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.

“If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary? But who can withhold himself from speaking?

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

They are broken in pieces from morning till evening; They perish forever, with no one regarding.

His sons are far from safety, They are crushed in the gate, And there is no deliverer.

Because the hungry eat up his harvest, Taking it even from the thorns, And a snare snatches their substance.

For affliction does not come from the dust, Nor does trouble spring from the ground;

But He saves the needy from the sword, From the mouth of the mighty, And from their hand.

In famine He shall redeem you from death, And in war from the power of the sword.

You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, And you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes.

Is my help not within me? And is success driven from me?

When it is warm, they cease to flow; When it is hot, they vanish from their place.