¶ Again¹ 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 whence² comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going³ to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou⁴ considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright⁵ man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth⁶ fast his integrity, although thou movedst⁷ me against him, to destroy him⁸ without⁹ cause.

And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that¹⁰ a man hath will he give for his life.

But put forth¹¹ thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse¹² thee to thy face.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold,¹³ he is in thine hand; but¹⁴ save his life¹⁵.

¶ So went¹⁶ Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils¹⁷ from the sole¹⁸ of his foot unto his crown.

And he took him¹⁹ a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat²⁰ down among the ashes.

Then said his wife²¹ unto him, Dost thou still retain²² thine integrity? curse God²³, and die.

¶ But he said unto her, Thou speakest²⁴ as one²⁵ of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive²⁶ good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this²⁷ did not Job sin with his lips.

¶ Now when Job's three friends²⁸ heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite²⁹, and Bildad the Shuhite³⁰, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come³¹ to mourn with him and to comfort³² him.

And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him³³ not, they lifted up their voice³⁴, and wept; and they rent³⁵ every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon³⁶ their heads toward heaven.

So they sat³⁷ down with him upon the ground seven days³⁸ and seven nights, and none spake³⁹ a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.