And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually.

Job's Three Friends

Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him.

There the prisoners are at ease together; they hear not the voice of the taskmaster.

It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, then I heard a voice:

Behold, this we have searched out; it is true. Hear, and know it for your good.”

What is man, that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him,

He is wise in heart and mighty in strength —who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?—

Yet these things you hid in your heart; I know that this was your purpose.

“If you prepare your heart, you will stretch out your hands toward him.

Job Continues: Still I Will Hope in God

“Behold, my eye has seen all this, my ear has heard and understood it.

Hear now my argument and listen to the pleadings of my lips.

Why does your heart carry you away, and why do your eyes flash,

“I will show you; hear me, and what I have seen I will declare

“I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all.

Since you have closed their hearts to understanding, therefore you will not let them triumph.

My days are past; my plans are broken off, the desires of my heart.

whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!

I hear censure that insults me, and out of my understanding a spirit answers me.

Receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.

You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you, and you will pay your vows.

God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me;

Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?”

I hold fast my righteousness and will not let it go; my heart does not reproach me for any of my days.

Will God hear his cry when distress comes upon him?

Abaddon and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’

When the ear heard, it called me blessed, and when the eye saw, it approved,

The blessing of him who was about to perish came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

if my step has turned aside from the way and my heart has gone after my eyes, and if any spot has stuck to my hands,

“If my heart has been enticed toward a woman, and I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door,

and my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand,

if I have concealed my transgressions as others do by hiding my iniquity in my heart,

Oh, that I had one to hear me! (Here is my signature! Let the Almighty answer me!) Oh, that I had the indictment written by my adversary!

Elihu Rebukes Job

“But now, hear my speech, O Job, and listen to all my words.

My words declare the uprightness of my heart, and what my lips know they speak sincerely.

“Surely you have spoken in my ears, and I have heard the sound of your words.

“Hear my words, you wise men, and give ear to me, you who know;

“Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.

If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath,

“If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say.

so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted—

Men of understanding will say to me, and the wise man who hears me will say:

Surely God does not hear an empty cry, nor does the Almighty regard it.

“The godless in heart cherish anger; they do not cry for help when he binds them.

Elihu Proclaims God's Majesty

“At this also my heart trembles and leaps out of its place.

After it his voice roars; he thunders with his majestic voice, and he does not restrain the lightnings when his voice is heard.

“Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God.

He scorns the tumult of the city; he hears not the shouts of the driver.

His heart is hard as a stone, hard as the lower millstone.

‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’

I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you;