Post by Gateway

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name {was} Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. {substance: or, cattle} {household: or, husbandry} {men: Heb. sons}

And his sons went and feasted {in their} houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. {Satan: Heb. the adversary} {among: Heb. in the midst of}

And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that {there is} none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? {considered: Heb. set thy heart on}

But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. {and he...: Heb. if he curse thee not to thy face}

Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. {substance: or, cattle}

And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath {is} in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. {power: Heb. hand}

And there was a day when his sons and his daughters {were} eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:

And the Sabeans fell {upon them}, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

While he {was} yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. {The fire...: or, A great fire}

While he {was} yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. {fell: Heb. rushed}

While he {was} yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters {were} eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:

And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee. {from...: Heb. from aside, etc}

Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, {mantle: or, robe}

And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. {charged...: or, attributed folly to God}

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.

And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that {there is} none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. {to destroy...: Heb. to swallow him up}

But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he {is} in thine hand; but save his life. {but: or, only}

So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

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.

And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that {his} grief was very great.

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

And Job spake, and said, {spake: Heb. answered}

Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night {in which} it was said, There is a man 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 shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it. {stain: or, challenge} {let the...: or, let them terrify it, as those who have a bitter day}

As {for} that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months. {let it not be...: or, let it not rejoice among the days}

Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.

Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning. {their...: or, leviathan}

Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but {have} none; neither let it see the dawning of the day: {the dawning...: Heb. the eyelids of the morning}

Because it shut not up the doors of my {mother's} womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.

Why died I not from the womb? {why} did I {not} give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?

Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?

With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves;

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

Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants {which} never saw light.

{There} the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.

The small and great are there; and the servant {is} free from his master.

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

Which long for death, but it {cometh} not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures; {long: Heb. wait}

Which rejoice exceedingly, {and} are glad, when they can find the grave?

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

For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters. {I eat: Heb. my meat}

For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me. {the thing...: Heb. I feared a fear, and it came upon me}

I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.

There the wicked cease {from} troubling; and there the weary be at rest. {weary: Heb. wearied in strength}

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

{If} we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking? {to...: Heb. a word} {withhold...: Heb. refrain from words?}

Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.

Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.

But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

{Is} not {this} thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?

Remember, I pray thee, who {ever} perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?

Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.

By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed. {by the breath...: that is, by his anger}

The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.

The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.

Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof. {secretly: Heb. by stealth}

In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,

Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. {came...: Heb. met} {all: Heb. the multitude of}

Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:

It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image {was} before mine eyes, {there was} silence, and I heard a voice, {saying}, {there...: or, I heard a still voice}

Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: {and his...: or, nor in his angels, in whom he put light}

How much less {in} them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation {is} in the dust, {which} are crushed before the moth?

They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding {it}. {destroyed: Heb. beaten in pieces}

Doth not their excellency {which is} in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.

Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn? {turn: or, look?}

For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one. {envy: or, indignation}

I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.

Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.

Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground; {affliction: or, iniquity}

Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward. {trouble: or, labour} {sparks...: Heb. the sons of the burning coal lift up to fly}

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

Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number: {unsearchable: Heb. there is no search} {without...: Heb. till there be no number}

Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields: {fields: Heb. outplaces}