Job 18:1–4

¹¹¶ 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.

¹THEN answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

¹THEN answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,

⁷¶ And it was so, that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.

⁸Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.

⁹So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the Lord commanded them: the Lord also accepted Job.

⁵O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom.

⁶Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

¹³He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.

¹⁹Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

²Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?

²I have heard many such things: miserable comforters are ye all.

³Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?

²Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations.

¹⁷There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.

⁵Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

⁶As 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.

¹WHEREFORE, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words.

²How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind?

²²So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.

¹⁰But as for you all, do ye return, and come now: for I cannot find one wise man among you.

⁴For thou hast hid their heart from understanding: therefore shalt thou not exalt them.

¹⁸I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

⁷But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

⁸Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

¹⁰Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

¹⁸And surely the mountain falling cometh to nought, and the rock is removed out of his place.

⁹He teareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: he gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

¹⁴Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in mine hand?

²For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.

⁹Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not.

¹⁰For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.

⁸Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?

⁹And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.

³⁹And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and it teareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departeth from him.

¹⁸And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.

³⁵Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.