Daily Text and Bible Reading: , June 8 [Press play below]

1.1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. He was an upright man of integrity; he feared God and shunned what was bad.
1.2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him.
1.3 His livestock amounted to 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 1,000 cattle, and 500 donkeys, along with a very large number of servants, so that he became the greatest of all the people of the East.
1.4 Each of his sons would hold a banquet at his house on his own set day. They would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
1.5 After a series of banquet days was complete, Job would send for them in order to sanctify them. Then he would get up early in the morning and offer up burnt sacrifices for each of them. For Job said: “Maybe my sons have sinned and have cursed God in their heart.” That is what Job would always do.
1.6 Now the day came when the sons of the true God entered to take their station before Jehovah, and Satan also entered among them.
1.7 Then Jehovah said to Satan: “Where have you come from?” Satan answered Jehovah: “From roving about on the earth and from walking about in it.”
1.8 And Jehovah said to Satan: “Have you taken note of my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth. He is an upright man of integrity, fearing God and shunning what is bad.”
1.9 At that Satan answered Jehovah: “Is it for nothing that Job has feared God?
1.10 Have you not put up a protective hedge around him and his house and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock has spread out in the land.
1.11 But, for a change, stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your very face.”
1.12 Then Jehovah said to Satan: “Look! Everything that he has is in your hand. Only do not lay your hand on the man himself!” So Satan went out from the presence of Jehovah.
1.13 Now on the day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
1.14 a messenger came to Job and said: “The cattle were plowing and the donkeys were grazing beside them
1.15 when the Sabeans attacked and took them, and they killed the servants with the sword. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
1.16 While he was still speaking, another one came and said: “Fire from God fell from the heavens and blazed among the sheep and the servants and consumed them! I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
1.17 While he was still speaking, another one came and said: “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them, and they killed the servants with the sword. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
1.18 While he was still speaking, yet another one came and said: “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house.
1.19 Suddenly a great wind came from the wilderness, and it struck the four corners of the house, so that it fell on the young people and they were killed. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
1.20 At that Job got up and ripped apart his garment and cut the hair off his head; then he fell to the ground and bowed down
1.21 and said: “Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, And naked I will return. Jehovah has given, and Jehovah has taken away. Let the name of Jehovah continue to be praised.”
1.22 In all of this, Job did not sin or accuse God of doing anything wrong.

2.1 Afterward the day came when the sons of the true God entered to take their station before Jehovah, and Satan also entered among them to take his station before Jehovah.
2.2 Then Jehovah said to Satan: “Where have you come from?” Satan answered Jehovah: “From roving about on the earth and from walking about in it.”
2.3 And Jehovah said to Satan: “Have you taken note of my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth. He is an upright man of integrity, fearing God and shunning what is bad. He is still holding firmly to his integrity, even though you try to incite me against him to destroy him for no reason.”
2.4 But Satan answered Jehovah: “Skin for skin. A man will give everything that he has for his life.
2.5 But, for a change, stretch out your hand and strike his bone and flesh, and he will surely curse you to your very face.”
2.6 Then Jehovah said to Satan: “Look! He is in your hand! Only do not take his life!”
2.7 So Satan went out from the presence of Jehovah and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.
2.8 And Job took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself, and he was sitting among the ashes.
2.9 Finally his wife said to him: “Are you still holding firmly to your integrity? Curse God and die!”
2.10 But he said to her: “You are talking like one of the senseless women. Should we accept only what is good from the true God and not accept also what is bad?” In all of this, Job did not sin with his lips.
2.11 Three companions of Job heard about all the calamities that had come upon him, and each came from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. So they agreed to meet together to go and sympathize with Job and comfort him.
2.12 When they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. They began to weep loudly and to rip their garments apart, and they threw dust into the air and onto their heads.
2.13 Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.

3.1 It was after this that Job began to speak and to curse the day of his birth.
3.2 Job said:
3.3 “Let the day perish on which I was born, Also the night when someone said: ‘A man has been conceived!’
3.4 Let that day be darkness. Let God above show no concern for it; Let no light shine upon it.
3.5 Let the deepest darkness reclaim it. Let a rain cloud settle over it. Let whatever darkens the day terrify it.
3.6 That night—let the gloom seize it; Let it not rejoice among the days of a year, And let it not enter among the number of the months.
3.7 Indeed! Let that night become barren; Let no joyful cry be heard in it.
3.8 Let those who curse the day put a curse on it, Those who are able to awaken Leviathan.
3.9 Let the stars of its twilight grow dark; Let it wait in vain for daylight, And let it not see the rays of dawn.
3.10 For it did not close the doors of my mother’s womb; Nor did it hide trouble from my eyes.
3.11 Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb?
3.12 Why were there knees to receive me And breasts to nurse me?
3.13 For now I would be lying down undisturbed; I would be sleeping and at rest
3.14 With kings of the earth and their advisers, Who built for themselves places that are now in ruins,
3.15 Or with princes who possessed gold, Whose houses were filled with silver.
3.16 Or why was I not like a hidden miscarriage, Like children who have never seen the light?
3.17 There even the wicked have ceased from agitation; There the weary are at rest.
3.18 There the prisoners are at ease together; They do not hear the voice of the one forcing them to work.
3.19 Small and great are the same there, And the slave is set free from his master.
3.20 Why does he give light to one who is suffering And life to those in bitter distress?
3.21 Why do they long for death, but it does not come? They dig for it more than for hidden treasures,
3.22 Those who are rejoicing greatly, Who are happy when they find the grave.
3.23 Why does he give light to a man who has lost his way, Whom God has hedged in?
3.24 For in place of my food comes my sighing, And my groaning pours out like water.
3.25 For what I have dreaded has come upon me, And what I have feared has befallen me.
3.26 I have had no peace, no quiet, no rest, But trouble keeps coming.”

4.1 Eliphaz the Temanite then said in reply:
4.2 “If someone tries to speak to you, will you become impatient? For who can hold back from speaking?
4.3 True, you have corrected many, And you used to strengthen the weak hands.
4.4 Your words would raise up anyone stumbling, And you would strengthen those whose knees were buckling.
4.5 But now it has happened to you, and you are overwhelmed; It touches you, and you are dismayed.
4.6 Does your reverence for God not give you confidence? Does your way of integrity not give you hope?
4.7 Remember, please: What innocent person has ever perished? When have the upright ever been destroyed?
4.8 What I have seen is that those who plow what is harmful And those who sow trouble will reap the same.
4.9 By the breath of God they perish, And through a blast of his anger they come to an end.
4.10 The lion roars, and a young lion growls, But even the teeth of strong lions are broken.
4.11 A lion perishes for lack of prey, And the cubs of a lion are scattered.
4.12 Now a word was brought to me in secret, And a whisper of it reached my ear.
4.13 In troubling thoughts during visions of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men,
4.14 A terrible trembling came upon me, Filling all my bones with dread.
4.15 A spirit passed over my face; The hair of my flesh bristled.
4.16 It then stood still, But I did not recognize its appearance. A form was in front of my eyes; There was a calm, and then I heard a voice:
4.17 ‘Can a mortal man be more righteous than God? Can a man be cleaner than his own Maker?’
4.18 Look! He has no faith in his servants, And he finds fault with his angels.
4.19 How much more so with those dwelling in houses of clay, Whose foundation is in the dust, Who are crushed as easily as a moth!
4.20 They are completely crushed from morning to evening; They perish forever, and no one takes notice.
4.21 Are they not like a tent whose cord is pulled out? They die without wisdom.

5.1 “Call, please! Is there anyone answering you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?
5.2 For resentment will kill the foolish one, And envy will put the simpleminded to death.
5.3 I have seen the foolish one taking root, But suddenly his dwelling place is cursed.
5.4 His sons are far from safety, And they are crushed at the city gate, with no one to save them.
5.5 The hungry one eats what he harvests, Taking it even from among the thorns, And their possessions are ensnared.
5.6 For harmful things do not sprout from the dust, And trouble does not spring from the ground.
5.7 For man is born for trouble, As surely as sparks fly upward.
5.8 But I would appeal to God, And to God I would submit my case,
5.9 To the One doing great and unsearchable things, Wonderful things without number.
5.10 He gives rain to the earth And sends waters upon the fields.
5.11 He raises the lowly up high, And he raises up the dejected one to salvation.
5.12 He frustrates the schemes of the crafty, So that the work of their hands does not succeed.
5.13 He catches the wise in their own cunning, So that the plans of the shrewd are thwarted.
5.14 They meet with darkness during the day, And they grope about at midday as if it were night.
5.15 He saves from the sword of their mouth, Saving the poor from the hand of the strong,
5.16 So that there is hope for the lowly, But the mouth of unrighteousness is shut.
5.17 Look! Happy is the man whom God reproves; So do not reject the discipline of the Almighty!
5.18 For he causes pain, but binds up the wound; He breaks apart, but heals with his own hands.
5.19 He will save you from six calamities, Even the seventh will not harm you.
5.20 During famine he will redeem you from death, And from the power of a sword during war.
5.21 You will be protected from the lash of the tongue, And you will not fear devastation when it comes.
5.22 You will laugh at destruction and hunger, And you will not fear the wild beasts of the earth.
5.23 For the stones of the field will not harm you, And the wild beasts of the field will be at peace with you.
5.24 You will know that your tent is secure, And nothing will be missing when you inspect your pasture.
5.25 You will enjoy many children, And your descendants will be as plentiful as the vegetation of the earth.
5.26 You will still be strong when you go to the grave, Like sheaves of grain gathered in their season.
5.27 Look! We have investigated this, and it is so. Listen and accept it.”