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In the land of Uz was a man that was called Job; and that man was simple, that is, without guile, and rightful, and dreading God, and going away from evil. (In the land of Uz there was a man who was called Job; and that man was without guile, and upright, and feared God/and revered God, and went away from evil.)

And there were seven sons and three daughters born to him;

and his possession was seven thousand of sheep, and three thousand of camels, and five hundred yokes of oxen, and five hundred of female asses (and five hundred female donkeys), and full much household; and this Job was a great man among all the men of the east.

And his sons went, and made feasts by their houses, each man in his day; and they sent, and called their three sisters, to eat, and to drink wine with them. (And his sons held feasts at their houses, each one in his turn; and they sent, and called their three sisters, to come and eat, and drink wine with them.)

And when the days of feast had passed into the world, that is, in(to) the end of the week, Job sent to them, and hallowed them, and he rose early, and offered burnt sacrifices by all (And when the days of feasting had ended, Job sent for them, and sanctified them, and he rose up early, and offered burnt sacrifices for all of them). For he said, Lest peradventure my sons do sin, and curse God in their hearts [Forsooth he said, Lest peradventure my sons sin, and bless[a] to God in their hearts]. Job did so in all (the) days.

And in a day, when the sons of God were come to be present before the Lord, also Satan came among them. (Now on a day, when the sons of God came and were present before the Lord, Satan also came among them.)

To whom the Lord said, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered, and said, I have compassed the earth, and I have walked through it. (To whom the Lord said, Where did you come from? And Satan answered, I have gone all around the earth, and I have walked throughout it.)

And the Lord said to him, Whether thou hast beheld my servant Job, that there is no man in [the] earth like him; he is a simple man, and rightful, and dreading God, and going away from evil? (And the Lord said to him, Hast thou seen my servant Job? There is no man on earth like him; yea, he is without guile, and upright, and feareth God/and revereth God, and goeth away from evil.)

To whom Satan answered, Whether Job dreadeth God vainly? (To whom Satan answered, Hast not Job good reason to fear God?/to revere God?)

10 Whether thou hast not (en)compassed him, and his house(hold), and all his chattel by compass? (Hast thou not surrounded him, and his family, and all his possessions, with protection?) Thou hast blessed the works of his hands, and his possession is increased on [the] earth.

11 But stretch forth thine hand a little, and touch thou all things that he hath in possession, taking them away, or extinguishing them; and if he curse not thee in the face, he is verily simple, and rightwise, and dreading thee (and then if he shall not curse thee to thy face, he is truly without guile, and righteous, and feareth thee/and revereth thee).

12 Therefore the Lord said to Satan, Lo! all things, which he hath, be in thine hand; only stretch thou not forth thine hand into him. And Satan went out from the face of the Lord. (And so the Lord said to Satan, Lo! everything which he hath, is in thy power; only stretch not forth thy hand onto him. And Satan went out from before the Lord.)

13 And when in a day the sons of Job and his daughters ate, and drank wine in the house of their first begotten brother, (And so one day, when Job’s sons and daughters ate, and drank wine in the house of their first-born brother,)

14 a messenger came to Job, and said to him, Thine oxen eared, and thy female asses [were] pastured beside them; (a messenger came to Job, and said to him, Thy oxen plowed, and thy female donkeys were pastured beside them;)

15 and (the) Sabeans felled in, and took away all (thy) things, and smited the servants with sword (and struck down thy servants with their swords); and I alone escaped to tell this to thee.

16 And when he spake yet, another came, and said, [The] Fire of God came down from heaven, and wasted [the] sheep, and [the] servants touched; and I alone escaped for to tell to thee. (And while he still spoke, another messenger came, and said, The fire of God came down from the heavens, and destroyed the sheep, and torched the servants; and I alone escaped to tell this to thee.)

17 But yet the while he spake, also another came, and said, Chaldees made three companies, and assailed the camels, and took those away, and they smited also the servants with sword; and I alone escaped to tell to thee. (And while he still spoke, also another came, and said, The Chaldeans made three companies, and assailed the camels, and took them away, and they also struck down thy servants with their swords; and I alone escaped to tell this to thee.)

18 And yet while he spake, lo! another entered, and said, While thy sons and daughters ate, and drank wine in the house of their first begotten brother, (And while he still spoke, lo! another entered, and said, While thy sons and daughters ate, and drank wine in the house of their first-born brother,)

19 a great wind felled in suddenly from the coast of (the) desert, and shook [the] four corners of the house, which felled down, and (it) oppressed thy children, and they be dead (and they all died); and I alone fled to tell (this) to thee.

20 Then Job rose up, and he rent his clothes, and when his head was polled, he felled down upon the earth, and he worshipped God, (Then Job rose up, and he tore his clothes, and when his head was shaved, he fell down on the ground, and he worshipped God,)

21 and said, I went naked out of the womb of my mother, and naked I shall turn again thither; the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; as it pleased the Lord, so be it done; the name of the Lord be blessed (blessed be the name of the Lord).

22 In all these things Job sinned not in his lips, neither spake any folly thing against God. (And in all these things Job did not sin with his lips, nor spoke any foolish thing against God.)

Footnotes

  1. Job 1:5 That is, ‘Lest peradventure my sons do sin, and curse God in their hearts’; for the horror of cursing, (the) Jews signified it by the contrary name.

Prologue

In the land of Uz(A) there lived a man whose name was Job.(B) This man was blameless(C) and upright;(D) he feared God(E) and shunned evil.(F) He had seven sons(G) and three daughters,(H) and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys,(I) and had a large number of servants.(J) He was the greatest man(K) among all the people of the East.(L)

His sons used to hold feasts(M) in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified.(N) Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering(O) for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned(P) and cursed God(Q) in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

One day the angels[a](R) came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan[b](S) also came with them.(T) The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”(U)

Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?(V) There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God(W) and shuns evil.”(X)

“Does Job fear God for nothing?”(Y) Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge(Z) around him and his household and everything he has?(AA) You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.(AB) 11 But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has,(AC) and he will surely curse you to your face.”(AD)

12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has(AE) is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”(AF)

Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters(AG) were feasting(AH) and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing(AI) nearby, 15 and the Sabeans(AJ) attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens(AK) and burned up the sheep and the servants,(AL) and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans(AM) formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters(AN) were feasting(AO) and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind(AP) swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead,(AQ) and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!(AR)

20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe(AS) and shaved his head.(AT) Then he fell to the ground in worship(AU) 21 and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
    and naked I will depart.[c](AV)
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;(AW)
    may the name of the Lord be praised.”(AX)

22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.(AY)

Footnotes

  1. Job 1:6 Hebrew the sons of God
  2. Job 1:6 Hebrew satan means adversary.
  3. Job 1:21 Or will return there