< Job 1 >

1 `A man, Joob bi name, was in the lond of Hus; and thilke man was symple, and riytful, and dredynge God, and goynge awey fro yuel.
There has been a man in the land of Uz—his name Job—and that man has been perfect and upright—both fearing God, and turning aside from evil.
2 And seuene sones and thre douytris weren borun to hym;
And seven sons and three daughters are borne to him,
3 and his possessioun was seuene thousynde of scheep, and thre thousynde of camels, and fyue hundrid yockis of oxis, and fyue hundrid of femal assis, and ful myche meynee; and `thilke man was grete among alle men of the eest.
and his substance is seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred pairs of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys, and a very abundant service; and that man is greater than any of the sons of the east.
4 And hise sones yeden, and maden feestis bi housis, ech man in his day; and thei senten, and clepiden her thre sistris, `that thei schulden ete, and drynke wiyn with hem.
And his sons have gone and made a banquet—the house of each [in] his day—and have sent and called to their three sisters to eat and to drink with them;
5 And whanne the daies of feeste hadden passid in to the world, Joob sente to hem, and halewide hem, and he roos eerli, and offride brent sacrifices `bi alle. For he seide, Lest perauenture my sones do synne, and curse God in her hertis. Joob dide so in alle daies.
and it comes to pass, when they have gone around the days of the banquet, that Job sends and sanctifies them, and has risen early in the morning, and caused burnt-offerings to ascend—the number of them all—for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned, yet blessed God in their heart.” Thus Job does all the days.
6 Forsothe in sum day, whanne the sones of God `weren comun to be present bifor the Lord, also Sathan cam among hem.
And the day is, that sons of God come to station themselves by YHWH, and there also comes Satan in their midst.
7 To whom the Lord seide, Fro whennus comest thou? Which answeride, and seide, Y haue cumpassid the erthe, and Y haue walkid thorouy it.
And YHWH says to Satan, “Where do you come from?” And Satan answers YHWH and says, “From going to and fro in the land, and from walking up and down on it.”
8 And the Lord seide to hym, Whether thou hast biholde my seruaunt Joob, that noon in erthe is lyik hym; he is a symple man, and riytful, and dredynge God, and goynge awei fro yuel?
And YHWH says to Satan, “Have you set your heart against My servant Job because there is none like him in the land, a man perfect and upright, fearing God, and turning aside from evil?”
9 To whom Sathan answeride, Whether Joob dredith God veynli?
And Satan answers YHWH and says, “Is Job fearing God for nothing?
10 Whethir thou hast not cumpassid hym, and his hows, and al his catel bi cumpas? Thou hast blessid the werkis of hise hondis, and hise possessioun encreesside in erthe.
Have You not made a hedge for him, and for his house, and for all that he has—all around?
11 But stretche forth thin hond a litil, and touche thou alle thingis whiche he hath in possessioun; if he cursith not thee `in the face, `bileue not to me.
You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance has spread in the land, and yet, put forth Your hand now, and strike against anything that he has—if not, he blesses You to Your face!”
12 Therfor the Lord seide to Sathan, Lo! alle thingis, whiche he hath, ben in thin hond; oneli stretche thou not forth thin hond in to hym. And Sathan yede out fro the face of the Lord.
And YHWH says to Satan, “Behold, all that he has [is] in your hand, only do not put forth your hand to him.” And Satan goes out from the presence of YHWH.
13 Sotheli whanne in sum dai `hise sones and douytris eeten, and drunken wiyn in the hows of her firste gendrid brothir,
And the day is, that his sons and his daughters are eating and drinking wine in the house of their brother, the firstborn.
14 a messanger cam to Job, `whiche messanger seide, Oxis eriden, and femal assis `weren lesewid bisidis tho;
And a messenger has come to Job and says, “The oxen have been plowing, and the female donkeys feeding by their sides,
15 and Sabeis felden yn, and token awey alle thingis, and `smytiden the children with swerd; and Y aloone ascapide for to telle to thee.
and Sheba falls, and takes them, and they have struck the young men by the mouth of the sword, and I have escaped—only I alone—to declare [it] to you.”
16 And whanne he spak yit, anothir cam, and seide, Fier of God cam doun fro heuene, and wastide scheep, and `children touchid; and Y aloone ascapide for to telle `to thee.
While this [one] is speaking another has also come and says, “Fire of God has fallen from the heavens, and burns among the flock, and among the young men, and consumes them, and I have escaped—only I alone—to declare [it] to you.”
17 But yit the while he spak, also anothir cam, and seide, Caldeis maden thre cumpenyes, and assailiden the camels, and token tho awei, and thei smytiden `also the children with swerd; and Y aloone ascapide to telle to thee.
While this [one] is speaking another also has come and says, “Chaldeans made three heads, and rush on the camels, and take them, and they have struck the young men by the mouth of the sword, and I have escaped—only I alone—to declare [it] to you.”
18 And yit he spak, and, lo! anothir entride, and seide, While thi sones and douytris eeten, and drunken wiyn in the hows of her firste gendrid brothir,
While this [one] is speaking another has also come and says, “Your sons and your daughters are eating, and drinking wine, in the house of their brother, the firstborn.
19 a greet wynde felde yn sudenli fro the coost of desert, and schook foure corneris of the hows, `which felde doun, and oppresside thi children, and thei ben deed; and Y aloone fledde to telle to thee.
And behold, a great wind has come from over the wilderness, and strikes against the four corners of the house, and it falls on the young men, and they are dead, and I have escaped—only I alone—to declare [it] to you.”
20 Thanne Joob roos, and to-rente hise clothis, and `with pollid heed he felde doun on the erthe, and worschipide God,
And Job rises, and tears his robe, and shaves his head, and falls to the earth, and pays respect,
21 and seide, Y yede nakid out of the wombe of my modir, Y schal turne ayen nakid thidur; the Lord yaf, the Lord took awei; as it pleside the Lord, so `it is doon; the name of the Lord be blessid.
and he says, “I came forth naked from the womb of my mother, And naked I return there. YHWH has given and YHWH has taken; Let the Name of YHWH be blessed.”
22 In alle these thingis Joob synnede not in hise lippis, nether spak ony fonned thing ayens God.
In all this Job has not sinned, nor given folly to God.

< Job 1 >