Then Job got up ¹  and tore his robe. ²  He shaved his head, ³  and then he threw himself down with his face to the ground. ⁴ 

what wise men declare, hiding nothing, from the tradition of ¹  their ancestors, ² 

He will not grow rich, and his wealth will not endure, nor will his possessions ¹  spread over the land.

My bones stick to my skin and my flesh; ¹  I have escaped ²  alive ³  with only the skin of my teeth.

the young men would see me and step aside, ¹  and the old men would get up and remain standing;

if I have rejoiced because of the extent of my wealth, or because of the great wealth my hand had gained,

(Who has confronted ¹  me that I should repay? ²  Everything under heaven belongs to me!) ³ 

and the Sabeans ¹  swooped down ²  and carried them all away, and they killed ³  the servants with the sword! ⁴  And I – only I alone ⁵  – escaped to tell you!”

While this one was still speaking, ¹  another messenger arrived ²  and said, “The fire of God ³  has fallen from heaven ⁴  and has burned up the sheep and the servants – it has consumed them! And I – only I alone – escaped to tell you!”

and suddenly ¹  a great wind ²  swept across ³  the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they died! And I – only I alone – escaped to tell you!”

While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “The Chaldeans ¹  formed three bands and made a raid ²  on the camels and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword! ³  And I – only I alone – escaped to tell you!”

When Job’s three friends heard about all this calamity that had happened to him, each of them came from his own country ²  – Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. ³  They met together ⁴  to come to show sympathy ⁵  for him and to console ⁶  him.