< Job 1 >
1 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.
A man, there was—in the land of Uz, Job, his name, —and that man was blameless and upright, and one who revered God, and avoided evil.
2 He had seven sons and three daughters.
And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
3 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].
And his substance was—seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a body of servants exceeding large, —thus was that man the greatest of all the sons of the East.
4 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.
Now his sons were wont to go, and make a banquet, at the house of each one upon his day, —and to send and call their three sisters, to eat and to drink with them.
5 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.”
And so it was, when the days of the banquet came round, that Job sent and hallowed them, and rising early in the morning offered ascending-sacrifices according to the number of them all; for Job said, Peradventure my sons have sinned, and have cursed God in their hearts. Thus and thus, was Job wont to do all the days.
6 One day, the angels came and gathered together in front of Yahweh, and Satan came too.
Now there came a certain day, when the sons of God entered in to present themselves unto Yahweh, —so the accuser also entered, in their midst.
7 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.”
And Yahweh said unto the accuser, Whence comest thou? And the accuser answered Yahweh, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and wandering about therein.
8 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.”
And Yahweh said unto the accuser, Hast thou applied thy heart unto my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a man blameless and upright, one revering God and avoiding evil?
9 Satan replied to Yahweh, “[What you say is true], but Job greatly respects you [only] because of what [you have done for him] [RHQ].
And the accuser answered Yahweh, and said, Is it, for nought, that Job revereth God?
10 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.
Hast not, thou thyself, made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath, on every side? The work of his hands, thou hast blessed, and, his substance, hath broken forth in the land.
11 But if you take away [MTY] everything that he has, he will curse you openly. [IDM]”
But, in very deed, put forth, I pray thee, thy hand, and smite all that he hath, —verily, unto thy face, will he curse thee.
12 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].
And Yahweh said unto the accuser, Lo! all that he hath, is in thy hand, only, against himself, do not put forth thy hand. So the accuser went forth from the presence of Yahweh.
13 One day [after that], Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the home of their oldest brother.
And there came a certain day, —when his sons and his daughters were eating, and drinking wine, in the house of their eldest brother.
14 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,
And, a messenger, came in unto Job, and said, —The oxen, were plowing, and, the asses, feeding beside them;
15 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.”
when the Sabeans swooped down, and took them, and, the young men, smote they with the edge of the sword, —and escaped am, only I alone, too tell thee.
16 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].”
Yet was this one speaking, when, another, came in and said, —A fire of God, fell out of the heavens, and burned up the sheep and the young men, and consumed them; and escaped am, only I alone, to tell thee.
17 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].”
Yet was this one speaking, when, another, came in and said, The Chaldeans, appointed three chiefs, and spread out against the camels, and took them, and, the young men, smote they with the edge of the sword; and escaped am, only I alone, to tell thee.
18 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.
Yet was this one speaking, when, another, came in and said, —Thy sons and thy daughters, were eating, and drinking wine, in the house of their eldest brother;
19 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].”
when lo! a great wind, came from over the desert, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they died, —and escaped am, only I alone, to tell thee.
20 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].
Then Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell to the earth and worshipped;
21 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]”
and said—Naked came I forth from the womb of my mother, and naked must I return thither, Yahweh, gave, and, Yahweh, hath taken away, —The name of Yahweh be blessed!
22 In spite of all these [things that happened to] Job, [he] did not sin by saying that what God had done was wrong.
In all this, Job sinned not, nor imputed folly unto God.