But I answered her, "Lo, now these many years have I been set in the
plague, enduring sickness of body and grief of heart, but my soul has
never been so heavy in me as when I heard thee say, 'Speak a word
against the Lord, and die.' Shall we have borne the loss of our
possessions, and the death of our children, and at the end lose the
true riches? Remember all the good things which we enjoyed aforetime.
Shall we receive those at the hands of the Lord, and not bear to
receive hard things likewise? But I perceive now why thou so
speakest. Come forth, thou that standest behind her to pervert her
heart and make her speak as one of the foolish women. Hide thyself no
longer; come forth and withstand me to the face." Then Satan came
forth from behind my wife, and stood before me ashamed, and even
weeping in the bitterness of his heart; and he said, "Job, thou hast
prevailed: thou art flesh and I am a spirit, but I can do no more
against thee." And he departed from me in confusion. And I, my
children, thought of fighters whom I had seen: one had thrown the
other on the ground and filled his mouth with sand, and bruised every
limb of his body, yet still he kept his hold; and of a sudden the one
that was uppermost could endure the grip no longer, and gave in, so
that the undermost won the crown. Thus was it with me and Satan; and,
my children, I counsel you to be long-suffering in all that may come
upon you; for there is nothing that is stronger than patience.

Now it was not until many years had passed that the tidings of my
affliction came to the ears of the kings who were of old time my
friends--for Satan caused the matter to be kept from them. But when
they heard, they set forth from their countries and came to visit me,
even Eliphaz of Teman, and Bildad, and Zophar, and Elihu; all of them
with great trains of followers. When they were come into my land they
inquired, "Where is Jobab, the ruler of Uz?" And it was told them,