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 was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and Job was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned from evil.
2 And seuene sones and thre douytris weren borun to hym;
There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
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.
He possessed seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred pairs of oxen, and five hundred donkeys and a great many servants. He was the man who was the greatest of all the people 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.
On each son's assigned day, he would give a feast in his house. They would send and call for their three sisters to eat and 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.
When the days of the feast were over, Job would send for them and he would consecrate them. He would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings for each of his children, for he would say, “It may be that my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Job always did this.
6 Forsothe in sum day, whanne the sones of God `weren comun to be present bifor the Lord, also Sathan cam among hem.
Then it was the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh. Satan also came with them.
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.
Yahweh said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, “From wandering on the earth, from going back and forth 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?
Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns from evil.”
9 To whom Sathan answeride, Whether Joob dredith God veynli?
Then Satan answered Yahweh and said, “Does Job fear God without reason?
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 put a barrier around him, around his house, and around all that is his from every side? You have blessed the deeds of his hands, and his cattle have burst forth in the land.
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.
But now stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and see if he does not curse 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.
Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him himself do not stretch out your hand.” Then Satan went away from the presence of Yahweh.
13 Sotheli whanne in sum dai `hise sones and douytris eeten, and drunken wiyn in the hows of her firste gendrid brothir,
It came about that on a certain day, his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house.
14 a messanger cam to Job, `whiche messanger seide, Oxis eriden, and femal assis `weren lesewid bisidis tho;
A messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were feeding beside them.
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.
Then the Sabeans fell on them and took them away. As for the servants, they have struck them with the edge of the sword. I alone have escaped to tell 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 he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants. I alone have escaped to tell 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 he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups, attacked the camels, and have taken them away. As for the servants, they have struck them with the edge of the sword. I alone have escaped to tell 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 he was yet speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house.
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.
A strong wind came from the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house. It fell on the young people, and they died. I alone have escaped to tell you.”
20 Thanne Joob roos, and to-rente hise clothis, and `with pollid heed he felde doun on the erthe, and worschipide God,
Then Job rose, tore his robe, shaved his head, lay facedown on the ground, and worshiped God.
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.
He said, “I was naked when I came out of my mother's womb, and I will be naked when I will return there. It is Yahweh who gave, and it is Yahweh who has taken away. May the name of Yahweh be blessed.”
22 In alle these thingis Joob synnede not in hise lippis, nether spak ony fonned thing ayens God.
In all this matter, Job did not sin, nor did he accuse God of wrongdoing.
