Job 1:1-22
1 There was a man named Job in the country of ʽUs, and that man was conscientious and upright, fearing God and keeping clear of bad actions.
2 And he had seven sons and three daughters born to him.
3 ** And his stock was seven thousand sheep and goats and three thousand camels and five hundred yoke of cattle and five hundred donkeys, and a very large body of servants; and that man was the largest proprietor among all the Easterners.
4 And his sons used to go and make a banquet, one day at each one’s house, and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them;
5 * and when the banquet-days had gone the round Job used to send and hallow them, and the first thing in the morning offer a burnt-offering equal in number to all of them, because Job thought “Maybe my sons sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Job was doing things like that all the time.
6 * And one day the angels came to present themselves before Jehovah, and the Adversary too came among them.
7 And Jehovah said to the Adversary “Where did you come from?”
And the Adversary answered Jehovah “From ranging through the earth and walking about in it.”
8 And Jehovah said to the Adversary “Did you take notice of my servant Job? because there is nobody on earth like him, a conscientious and upright man, fearing God and keeping clear of bad actions.”
9 And the Adversary answered Jehovah “Is it for nothing that Job is God-fearing?
10 haven’t you kept up a fence all round him and his family and everything that belongs to him, blessed the work of his hands, and his stock have multiplied in the country?
11 ** but put out your hand and strike everything that belongs to him and see if he will not curse you to your face.”
12 * And Jehovah said to the Adversary “Here, everything that belongs to him is at your disposal; only do not put out your hand to him.”
And the Adversary went out from Jehovah’s presence;
13 and one day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine at their oldest brother’s
14 house a messenger came to Job and said “The cattle were plowing and the donkeys grazing beside them,
15 and the Sheba tribe came down and took them and massacred the men; there was only I that escaped alone to bring you word.”
16 While this one was still speaking the next one came and said “God’s fire fell out of the sky and burned the sheep and goats and the men and ate them up; there was only I that escaped alone to bring you word.”
17 While this one was still speaking the next one came and said “The Chaldeans arranged three columns and raided the camels and took them and massacred the men; there was only I that escaped alone to bring you word.”
18 While this one was still speaking the next one came and said “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine at their oldest brother’s house,
19 and there from across the wilderness came a great wind and hit all four corners of the house, and it fell on the young folks and they are dead; there was only I that escaped alone to bring you word.”
20 And Job stood up and tore his robe and sheared his head, and threw himself on the ground and did reverence
21 and said “Naked I came out of my mother’s body and naked I go back there. Jehovah gave and Jehovah took. Jehovah’s name be blessed!”
22 With all this Job did not sin nor find fault with Jehovah.
Footnotes
^ 1:3 (donkeys) Lit. jennies
^ 1:3 Lit. was greater than all
^ 1:5 Codd. sinned and blessed God or sinned and said good-bye to God
^ 1:6 (angels) Lit. sons of God or sons of gods
^ 1:11 Lit. to him if he will not
^ 1:11 Codd. bless you or say good-bye to you
^ 1:12 Lit. is in your hands; only
