THE BOOK OF JOB

JOB I, II

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 turned away his heart from evil. And there were born

unto him seven sons and three daughters. His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred cattle, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

Now it fell on a day when his sons and daughters were feasting in their eldest brother's house, that there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the cattle feeding; 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 another, and said, Fire 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. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made three bands, and made a raid upon the camels, and have taken them away, yea, and 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, Thy sons and thy daughters were feasting 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.

Then Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped; and he said, Naked came I into the world, and naked shall I return hence: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. And his wife said unto him, Dost thou still hold fast thine integrity? renounce 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, nor charge God foolishly.

JOB IV, V

Now a thing was secretly brought to me,
And mine ear received a whisper thereof.
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.
Then a spirit passed before my face;
The hair of my flesh stood up.

It stood still, but I could not discern the appearance thereof;

A form was before mine eyes:

There was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,

Shall mortal man be more just than God?
Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
Behold, he putteth no trust in his servants;
And his angels he chargeth with folly:

How much more them that dwell in houses of

clay,

Whose foundation is in the dust!

But as for me, I would bow before the Almighty,
And unto God would I commit my cause;
Who doeth great things and unsearchable,
Marvellous things without number:

Who setteth up on high those that are low,
And exalteth to safety those that mourn.
He disappointeth the devices of the crafty,
So that their hands cannot perform their enter-
prise.

They meet with darkness in the daytime,

And grope at noonday as in the night.

But the meek he saveth from the sword of their mouth,

Even the needy from the hand of the mighty. So the meek hath hope,

And iniquity stoppeth her mouth.

JOB V

Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty.

For he maketh sore, and bindeth up;

He woundeth, and his hands make whole.
He will deliver thee in six troubles;

Yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.
In famine he shall redeem thee from death;
And in war from the power of the sword.
Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the
tongue;

Neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.

At destruction and dearth thou shalt laugh;

Neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field:

And the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.

And thou shalt know that thy tent is in peace; And thou shalt visit thine habitation, and fail

not.

Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age,
Even as a shock of grain cometh in in its season.
Lo this, we have searched it, so it is;
Hear it, and know thou it for thy good.

JOB IX, XI, XXIII

Then spake Job, and said:

Oh that I knew where I might find him!
That I might come even to his seat!
Behold, I go forward, but he is not there;
And backward, but I cannot perceive him;
On the left hand, when he doth work, but I can-
not behold him;

He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him.

Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not:

He passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

Then answered Zophar, and said unto Job: Canst thou by searching find out God?

Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do?

Deeper than the abyss; what canst thou know?
The measure thereof is longer than the earth,
And broader than the sea.

And though thou say, I behold him not;
Yet are all thy ways before him.
If thou set thine heart aright,

And stretch out thine hands toward him;
If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away,
And let not unrighteousness dwell in thy tents:
Surely then shalt thou lift up thy face without
spot;

Yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear.
Then shall thy life be clearer than the noonday;
Though there be darkness, it shall be as the
morning.

And because there is hope, thou shalt be secure; Yea, thou shalt look about thee, and shalt take thy rest in safety;

Thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid.

JOB XIV, XVI, XIX

Psalms xvi, lxxi, lxxiii

If a man die, shall he live again?

Oh that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me!

All the days of my warfare would I wait,

Till my release should come.