< Job 1 >
1 THERE was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was whole-hearted and upright, and one that feared God, and shunned evil.
In the land named Uz, there was a man named Job. He was a very godly/righteous [DOU] man, who greatly respected/revered God and always avoided doing evil things.
2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
He had seven sons and three daughters.
3 His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the children of the east.
He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 1,000 oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was the richest man in all the area east [of the Jordan River].
4 And his sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one upon his day; and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
Each year, Job’s sons made feasts [in their houses] to celebrate their birthdays. Whenever each one made a feast, he would invite [all his brothers and] his three sisters to come and eat together.
5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said: 'It may be that my sons have sinned, and blasphemed God in their hearts.' Thus did Job continually.
When each celebration ended, Job would summon them. He would get up early in the morning and kill animals and burn them on the altar as sacrifices, one for each of his children. He said to himself, “Perhaps [one of] my sons has sinned and said something evil about God in his heart.”
6 Now it fell upon a day, that the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
One day, the angels came and gathered together in front of Yahweh, and Satan came too.
7 And the LORD said unto Satan: 'Whence comest thou?' Then Satan answered the LORD, and said: 'From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.'
Yahweh asked Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan replied, “I have come from the earth, where I been traveling back and forth, seeing what is happening.”
8 And the LORD said unto Satan: 'Hast thou considered My servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a whole-hearted and an upright man, one that feareth God, and shunneth evil?'
Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you (noticed/thought about) my [faithful] servant Job? He is very godly/righteous [DOU], he greatly respects/reveres me, and he always avoids doing evil things. There is no one else on the earth like him.”
9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said: 'Doth Job fear God for nought?
Satan replied to Yahweh, “[What you say is true], but Job greatly respects you [only] because of what [you have done for him] [RHQ].
10 Hast not Thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath, on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions are increased in the land.
You have always [RHQ] protected [MET] him and his family and everything that he owns. You have made him very prosperous/rich. He has livestock all over this land.
11 But put forth Thy hand now, and touch all that he hath, surely he will blaspheme Thee to Thy face.'
But if you take away [MTY] everything that he has, he will curse you openly. [IDM]”
12 And the LORD said unto Satan: 'Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thy hand.' So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
Yahweh replied to Satan, “(All right/Okay), I will permit you to take away everything that he has. But do not harm him.” Then Satan left, [and he prepared to cause many disastrous things to happen to Job].
13 And it fell on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house,
One day [after that], Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the home of their oldest brother.
14 that there came a messenger unto Job, and said: 'The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them;
While they were doing that, a messenger arrived at Job’s home and said to him, “While your oxen were plowing [the fields] and the donkeys were grazing nearby,
15 and the Sabeans made a raid, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.'
a group of men from [the] Sheba [area] came and attacked us. They killed all your servants [who were working in the fields] and took away all the oxen and donkeys! I am the only one who escaped to [come and] tell you what happened.”
16 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said: 'A fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.'
While he was still talking to Job, another messenger arrived. He said to Job, “Lightning from the sky [MTY] struck and killed all the sheep and all the men who were taking care of the sheep! I am the only one who escaped to [come and] tell you [what happened].”
17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said: 'The Chaldeans set themselves in three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have taken them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.'
While he was still talking to Job, another messenger arrived. He said to Job, “Three groups [of robbers/bandits] from Chaldea [land] came and attacked us. They stole all the camels and killed all the men who were taking care of them. I am the only one who escaped to [come and] tell you [what happened].”
18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said: 'Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house;
While he was still talking to Job, another messenger arrived and reported this to Job: “Your sons and daughters were feasting in the home of their oldest brother.
19 And, behold, there came a great wind from across the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.'
Suddenly a (very strong wind/tornado) came from the desert and struck the house. The house collapsed on your sons and daughters and killed them all! I am the only one who escaped to [come and] tell you [what happened].”
20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped;
Job stood up, and tore his robe and shaved his head [because he was very sad/grieved]. Then he prostrated himself on the ground [to worship God].
21 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; blessed be the name of the LORD.
He said, “When I was born, I had no clothes on. When I die, I will not take any clothes with me. Yahweh gave me [everything that I possessed], and [now] he has taken it all away. But (we should/I will) always praise Yahweh [anyway]! [MTY]”
22 For all this Job sinned not, nor ascribed aught unseemly to God.
In spite of all these [things that happened to] Job, [he] did not sin by saying that what God had done was wrong.