[1] There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. That man was
blameless and upright, and one who feared God, and turned away from evil.
[2] There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. [3] His
possessions also were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five
hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she-donkeys, and a very great household;
so that this man was the greatest of all the children of the east. [4] His
sons went and held a feast in the house of each one on his birthday; and
they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
[5] It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, 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 renounced God in their hearts." Thus did
Job continually. [6] Now it happened on the day when the sons of God came
to present themselves before Yahweh, that Satan also came among them. [7]
Yahweh said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Then Satan answered
Yahweh, and said, "From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking
up and down in it." [8] Yahweh said to Satan, "Have you considered my
servant, Job? For there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an
upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil." [9] Then Satan
answered Yahweh, and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? [10] Haven`t you
made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has,
on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is
increased in the land. [11] But put forth your hand now, and touch all that
he has, and he will renounce you to your face." [12] Yahweh said to Satan,
"Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only on himself don`t put forth
your hand." So Satan went forth from the presence of Yahweh. [13] It
fell on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine
in their eldest brother`s house, [14] that there came a messenger to Job,
and said, "The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys feeding beside them, [15]
and the Sabeans attacked, and took them away. Yes, they have killed the
servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
[16] While he was still speaking, there also came another, and said, "The
fire of God has fallen from the sky, and has burned up the sheep and the
servants, and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you." [17]
While he was still speaking, there came also another, and said, "The
Chaldeans made three bands, and swept down on the camels, and have taken
them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I
alone have escaped to tell you." [18] While he was still speaking, there
came also another, and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and
drinking wine in their eldest brother`s house, [19] and, behold, there came
a great wind from the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house,
and it fell on the young men, and they are dead. I alone have escaped to
tell you." [20] Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and
fell down on the ground, and worshipped. [21] He said, "Naked I came out of
my mother`s womb, and naked shall I return there. Yahweh gave, and Yahweh
has taken away. Blessed be the name of Yahweh." [22] In all this, Job did
not sin, nor charge God with wrongdoing.
