One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house,

While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house,

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.”

The arrows of the Almighty are in me, my spirit drinks in their poison; God’s terrors are marshaled against me.

But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams, as the streams that overflow

When your children sinned against him, he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.

I say to God: Do not declare me guilty, but tell me what charges you have against me.

If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion and again display your awesome power against me.

You bring new witnesses against me and increase your anger toward me; your forces come against me wave upon wave.

Oh, how I wish that God would speak, that he would open his lips against you

Can anyone bring charges against me? If so, I will be silent and die.

For you write down bitter things against me and make me reap the sins of my youth.

Your own mouth condemns you, not mine; your own lips testify against you.

so that you vent your rage against God and pour out such words from your mouth?

because he shakes his fist at God and vaunts himself against the Almighty,

defiantly charging against him with a thick, strong shield.

I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could make fine speeches against you and shake my head at you.

You have shriveled me up—and it has become a witness; my gauntness rises up and testifies against me.

People open their mouths to jeer at me; they strike my cheek in scorn and unite together against me.

The upright are appalled at this; the innocent are aroused against the ungodly.

If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and use my humiliation against me,

His anger burns against me; he counts me among his enemies.

His troops advance in force; they build a siege ramp against me and encamp around my tent.

All my intimate friends detest me; those I love have turned against me.

When he has filled his belly, God will vent his burning anger against him and rain down his blows on him.