< Job 2 >
1 Again, on the day when God’s sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, Satan came also among them to present himself before Yahweh.
And 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, to present himself unto Yahweh.
2 Yahweh said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.”
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 from wandering about therein.
3 Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil. He still maintains his integrity, although you incited me against him, to ruin him without cause.”
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 who revereth God, and avoideth evil; and still he is holding fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to swallow him up without cause.
4 Satan answered Yahweh, and said, “Skin for skin. Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life.
Then the accuser answered Yahweh, and said, Skin for skin, and so, all that a man hath, will he give for his life.
5 But stretch out your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will renounce you to your face.”
In very deed, put forth, I pray thee thy hand, and smite unto his bone, and unto his flesh, —verily, unto thy face, will he curse thee.
6 Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand. Only spare his life.”
And Yahweh said unto the accuser, Behold him! in thy hand, —only, his life, preserve thou!
7 So Satan went out from the presence of Yahweh, and struck Job with painful sores from the sole of his foot to his head.
So the accuser went forth from the presence of Yahweh, —and smote Job with a sore boil, from the sole of his foot, unto his crown.
8 He took for himself a potsherd to scrape himself with, and he sat among the ashes.
And he took him a potsherd, to scrape himself therewith; he being seated in the midst of ashes.
9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still maintain your integrity? Renounce God, and die.”
Then said his wife unto him, Art thou still holding fast thine integrity? Curse God, and die!
10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job didn’t sin with his lips.
And he said unto her, As one of the base women speaketh, speakest thou? Blessing, shall we accept from God, and, misfortune, shall we not accept? In all this, Job sinned not with his lips.
11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come on him, they each came from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and to comfort him.
Now when the three friends of Job heard of all this misfortune which had befallen him, —they came, every man from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, —for they had by appointment met together to come to shew sympathy with him, and to comfort him.
12 When they lifted up their eyes from a distance, and didn’t recognize him, they raised their voices, and wept; and they each tore his robe, and sprinkled dust on their heads toward the sky.
And, when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept—and rent, every one his robe, and sprinkled dust upon their heads, toward the heavens.
13 So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.
And they sat with him upon the ground, seven days and seven nights, —and none was speaking unto him a word, for they saw that, exceeding great, was the stinging pain.