Job 1
1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and Job was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned from evil.
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. He was without sin and upright, fearing God and keeping himself far from evil.
2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
And he had seven sons and three daughters.
3 He possessed seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred pairs of oxen, and five hundred donkeys and a great many servants. He was the man who was the greatest of all the people of the East.
And of cattle he had seven thousand sheep and goats, and three thousand camels, and a thousand oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a very great number of servants. And the man was greater than any of the sons of the east.
4 On each son's assigned day, he would give a feast in his house. They would send and call for their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
His sons regularly went to one another's houses, and every one on his day gave a feast: and at these times they sent for their three sisters to take part in their feasts with them.
5 When the days of the feast were over, Job would send for them and he would consecrate them. He would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings for each of his children, for he would say, “It may be that my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Job always did this.
And at the end of their days of feasting, Job sent and made them clean, getting up early in the morning and offering burned offerings for them all. For, Job said, It may be that my sons have done wrong and said evil of God in their hearts. And Job did this whenever the feasts came round.
6 Then it was the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh. Satan also came with them.
And there was a day when the sons of the gods came together before the Lord, and the Satan came with them.
7 Yahweh said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, “From wandering on the earth, from going back and forth on it.”
And the Lord said to the Satan, Where do you come from? And the Satan said in answer, From wandering this way and that on the earth, and walking about on it.
8 Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns from evil.”
And the Lord said to the Satan, Have you taken note of my servant Job, for there is no one like him on the earth, a man without sin and upright, fearing God and keeping himself far from evil?
9 Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, “Does Job fear God without reason?
And the Satan said in answer to the Lord, Is it for nothing that Job is a god-fearing man?
10 Have you not put a barrier around him, around his house, and around all that is his from every side? You have blessed the deeds of his hands, and his cattle have burst forth in the land.
Have you yourself not put a wall round him and his house and all he has on every side, blessing the work of his hands, and increasing his cattle in the land?
11 But now stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and see if he does not curse you to your face.”
But now, put out your hand against all he has, and he will be cursing you to your face.
12 Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him himself do not stretch out your hand.” Then Satan went away from the presence of Yahweh.
And the Lord said to the Satan, See, I give all he has into your hands, only do not put a finger on the man himself. And the Satan went out from before the Lord.
13 It came about that on a certain day, his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house.
And there was a day when his sons and daughters were feasting in the house of their oldest brother,
14 A messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were feeding beside them.
And a man came to Job, and said, The oxen were ploughing, and the asses were taking their food by their side:
15 Then the Sabeans fell on them and took them away. As for the servants, they have struck them with the edge of the sword. I alone have escaped to tell you.”
And the men of Sheba came against them and took them away, putting the young men to the sword, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.
16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants. I alone have escaped to tell you.”
And this one was still talking when another came, and said, The fire of God came down from heaven, burning up the sheep and the goats and the young men completely, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.
17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups, attacked the camels, and have taken them away. As for the servants, they have struck them with the edge of the sword. I alone have escaped to tell you.”
And this one was still talking when another came, and said, The Chaldaeans made themselves into three bands, and came down on the camels and took them away, putting the young men to the sword, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.
18 While he was yet speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house.
And this one was still talking when another came, and said, Your sons and your daughters were feasting together in their oldest brother's house,
19 A strong wind came from the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house. It fell on the young people, and they died. I alone have escaped to tell you.”
When a great wind came rushing from the waste land against the four sides of the house, and it came down on the young men, and they are dead; and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.
20 Then Job rose, tore his robe, shaved his head, lay facedown on the ground, and worshiped God.
Then Job got up, and after parting his clothing and cutting off his hair, he went down on his face to the earth, and gave worship, and said,
21 He said, “I was naked when I came out of my mother's womb, and I will be naked when I will return there. It is Yahweh who gave, and it is Yahweh who has taken away. May the name of Yahweh be blessed.”
With nothing I came out of my mother's body, and with nothing I will go back there; the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; let the Lord's name be praised.
22 In all this matter, Job did not sin, nor did he accuse God of wrongdoing.
In all this Job did no sin, and did not say that God's acts were foolish.
