Job 1:1–2:13
1 There was a man in the land of Uz whosea name was Job. Thatb man was blameless and upright and God-fearing and turning away from evil. 2 And seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 Thenc his livestock came to be seven thousand sheep and goats and three thousand camels and five hundred pairsd of oxen and five hundred female donkeys, and he had very many slaves, and that man was greater than all the people of the east. 4 And his sons used to go and hold a feast ⌊at each other’s house⌋e on his day, and they would send, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5 ⌊Then when⌋f the days of the feast had run their course, ⌊Job would send⌋,g and he would sanctify them. Thush he would arise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of all of them, because Job thought,i “Perhaps my children have sinned and ⌊cursed⌋j God in their heart.” This is what Job used to do ⌊all the time⌋.k
6 And it happened ⌊one day⌋l ⌊that⌋m the sons of Godn came to present themselves before Yahweh, and Satano also came into their midst. 7 Sop Yahweh said to Satan,q “From where have you come?”
Thenr Satans answered Yahweh and said, “From roaming on the earth and from walking about in it.”
8 Sot Yahweh said to Satan,u “Have you ⌊considered⌋v my servant Job? Indeed,w there is no one like him on the earth—a blameless man and upright and God-fearing and turning away from evil.”
9 Thenx Satany answered Yahweh and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Have youz not put a fence around him and his household and around ⌊all that belongs to him⌋a ⌊on every side⌋?b You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestockc has increased in the land. 11 But,d on the other hand, stretch oute your hand and touch ⌊all that belongs to him⌋f and see ⌊whether⌋g he will ⌊curse⌋h you to your face.”
12 Soi Yahweh said to Satan,j “Look, ⌊all that belongs to him⌋k is in your ⌊power⌋.l Only do not stretch out your hand ⌊against⌋m him.” Son Satano went out from Yahweh’s ⌊presence⌋.p
The Adversary’s Attack on Job’s Possessions
13 And then there was one day whenq his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their firstborn brother’s house. 14 And a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing, and the female donkeys were feeding ⌊beside them⌋.r 15 Thens the Sabeans ⌊attacked⌋,t and they took them, and they slew the servants ⌊by the edge of the sword⌋.u Butv I escaped, even I alone, to tell you.”
16 While this one was still speaking, ⌊another⌋w came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens, and it blazed up against the sheep and goats and against the servants, and it consumed them. But I escaped, even I alone, to tell you.”
17 While this one was still speaking, ⌊another⌋x came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three divisions, and they made a raid on the camels, and they carried them away, and they struck your servants ⌊by the edge of the sword⌋,y but I escaped, even I alone, to tell you.”
18 At the timez this one was speaking, ⌊another⌋a came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their firstborn brother’s house. 19 And behold,b a great wind came from across the desert, and it struck the four corners of the house ⌊so that⌋c it fell upon the young people, and they died. But I escaped, even I alone, to tell you.”
20 Thend Job arose and tore his outer garmente and shaved his head; ⌊then⌋f he fell upon the ground and he worshiped. 21 Theng he said, “Naked I came out from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there. Yahweh gives, and Yahweh takes. Let Yahweh’s name be blessed.” 22 In all this, Job did not sin and did not ⌊charge God with wrongdoing⌋.h
The Adversary’s Attack on Job’s Person
2 ⌊And then⌋a one day the sons of Godb came to present themselves before Yahweh, and Satanc also came into their midst to present himself before Yahweh. 2 Sod Yahweh ⌊asked⌋e Satan,f “From where have you come?”
And Satang answered Yahweh and said, “From roaming on the earth and from walking about in it.”
3 Soh Yahweh ⌊asked⌋i Satan,j “Have you ⌊considered⌋k my servant Job? Indeed,l there is no one like him on the earth—a blameless man and upright and God-fearing and turning away from evil. And still he persists in his blamelessness ⌊even though⌋m you incited me against him to destroy him for nothing.”
4 Thenn Satano answered him and said, “Skin for skin! All that ⌊that⌋p man has he will give for his life. 5 But stretch outq your hand and touch his bones and his flesh, and see ⌊whether⌋r he will ⌊curse⌋s you to your face.”t
6 Sou Yahweh said to Satan,v “⌊All right⌋,w he is in your ⌊power⌋.x Only spare his life.”
7 Soy Satanz went out from ⌊Yahweh’s presence⌋,a and he inflicted Job with loathsome skin sores from the sole of his foot up to the crown of his head. 8 ⌊So⌋b he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and he sat in the midst of the ashes.
9 Thenc his wife said to him, “Are you still persisting in your blamelessness? ⌊Curse⌋d God and die.”
10 Soe he said to her, “You speak like one of the foolish women speaks. Indeed, should we receive the good from God, butf not receive the evil?” In all this, Job did not sin with his lips.
11 Thusg Job’s three friends heard of this calamity that had come upon him. Soh each set out from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite. And they meti together to come to console him and to comfort him.
12 Thusj they lifted up their eyesk from afar, butl they did not recognize him, som they raised their voice, and they wept, and each man tore his outer garmentn and threw dust on their heads ⌊toward the sky⌋.o 13 Thenp they sat with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, butq no one spoker a word to him because they saw that ⌊his⌋s suffering was very great.