< Job 1 >
1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And this man was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil.
There was a man in the land of 'Uz, Job was his name; And this man was perfect and upright, and fearing God, and eschewing evil.
2 He had seven sons and three daughters,
And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
3 and he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and a very large number of servants. Job was the greatest man of all the people of the East.
And his cattle consisted of seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and he had a very great store of servants: so that this man was greater than all the sons of the east.
4 Job’s sons would take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them.
And his sons used to go and prepare a feast in the house of every one on his day; and they sent and invited their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
5 And when the days of feasting were over, Job would send for his children to purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.
And it happened, when the days of the feast were gone round, that Job sent and sanctified them, and he then rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of all of them; for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and have renounced God in their heart. In this manner used Job to do all the time.
6 One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.
Now it happened on a certain day, when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, that the Accuser also came in the midst of them.
7 “Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.”
Then said the Lord unto the Accuser, Whence comest thou? And the Accuser answered the Lord, and said, From roaming over the earth, and from wandering through it.
8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one on earth like him, a man who is blameless and upright, who fears God and shuns evil.”
Then said the Lord unto the Accuser, Hast thou directed thy attention toward my servant Job; for there is none like him on the earth, a man perfect and upright, who feareth God, and escheweth evil?
9 Satan answered the LORD, “Does Job fear God for nothing?
Then answered the Accuser the Lord, and said, Is it for nought that Job feareth God?
10 Have You not placed a hedge on every side around him and his household and all that he owns? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
Behold, thou hast indeed placed a fence about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath, on every side: the work of his hands hast thou blessed, and his cattle are far spread out in the land.
11 But stretch out Your hand and strike all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”
But stretch only forth thy hand and touch all that he hath, and [see] whether he will not renounce thee to thy face.
12 “Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “Everything he has is in your hands, but you must not lay a hand on the man himself.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
Then said the Lord unto the Accuser, Behold, all that is his be in thy power; only against himself shalt thou not stretch forth thy hand. The Accuser went thereupon away from the presence of the Lord.
13 One day, while Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
And it happened on a certain day, when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their first-born brother,
14 a messenger came and reported to Job: “While the oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby,
That a messenger came unto Job, and said, The oxen were ploughing, and the she-asses were feeding beside them:
15 the Sabeans swooped down and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
When the Sabeans made an incursion, and took them away, and the young men they slew with the edge of the sword; and I am escaped, none but myself alone, to tell it unto thee.
16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “The fire of God fell from heaven. It burned and consumed the sheep and the servants, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
This one was yet speaking, when another came, and said, A fire of God fell from heaven, and burnt among the sheep and the young men, and consumed them; and I am escaped, none but myself alone, to tell it unto thee.
17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “The Chaldeans formed three bands, raided the camels, and took them away. They put the servants to the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
This one was yet speaking, when another came, and said, The Chaldeans posted themselves in three divisions, and made an inroad against the camels, and took them away, and the young men they slew with the edge of the sword; and I am escaped, none but myself alone, to tell it unto thee.
18 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and reported: “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house,
While this one was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their first-born brother:
19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on the young people and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you!”
When, behold, a violent wind came from the direction of the wilderness, and struck against the four corners of the house, so that it fell upon the young men, and they died; and I am escaped, none but myself alone, to tell it unto thee.
20 Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped,
Then arose Job, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and prostrated himself.
21 saying: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
And he said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; may the name of the Lord be blessed.
22 In all this, Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing.
With all this did Job not sin, and attributed no injustice to God.