Page:The Holy Bible (YLT).djvu/357



CHAP. I. A MAN there hath been in the land of Uz—Job his name—and that man hath been perfect and upright—both fearing God, and turning aside from evil. And there are borne to him seven sons and three daughters, and his substance is seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred pairs of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a service very abundant; and that man is greater than any of the sons of the east.

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; and it cometh to pass, when they have gone round the days of the banquet, that Job doth send and sanctify them, and hath risen early in the morning, and caused to ascend burnt-offerings—the number of them all—for Job said, 'Perhaps my sons have sinned, yet blessed God in their heart.' Thus doth Job all the days.

And the day is, that sons of God come in to station themselves by Jehovah, and there doth come also the Adversary in their midst. And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, 'Whence comest thou?' And the Adversary answereth Jehovah and saith, 'From going to and fro in the land, and from walking up and down in it.'

And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, 'Hast thou set thy 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?' And the Adversary answereth Jehovah and saith, 'For nought is Job fearing God? Hast not Thou made a hedge for him, and for his house, and for all that he hath—round about? The work of his hands Thou hast blessed, and his substance hath spread in the land, and yet, put forth, I pray Thee, Thy hand, and strike against anything that he hath—if not: to Thy face he doth bless Thee!'

And Jehovah saith imto the Adversary, 'Lo, all that he hath is in thy hand, only unto him put not forth thy hand.' And the Adversary goeth out from the presence of Jehovah.

And the day is, that his sons and his daughters are eating, and drinking wine, in the house of their brother, the first-born. And a messenger hath come in unto Job and saith, 'The oxen have been plowing, and the she-asses feeding by their sides, and Sheba doth fall, and take them, and the young men they have smitten by the mouth of the sword, and I am escaped—only I alone—to declare it to thee.'

While this one is speaking another also hath come and saith, 'Fire of God hath fallen from the heavens, and burneth among the flock, and among the young men, and consumeth them, and I am escaped—only I alone—to declare it to thee.'

While this one is speaking another also hath come and saith, 'Chaldeans made three heads, and rush on the camels, and take them, and the young men they have smitten by the mouth of the sword, and I am escaped—only I alone—to declare it to thee.'

While this one is speaking another also hath come and saith, 'Thy sons and thy daughters are eating, and drinking wine, in the house of their brother, the first-born, And lo, a great wind hath come from over the wilderness, and striketh against the four corners of the house, and it falleth on the young men, and they are dead, and I am escaped—only I alone—to declare it to thee.'

And Job riseth, and rendeth his robe, and shaveth his head, and falleth to the earth, and doth obeisance, and he saith, 'Naked came I forth from the womb of my mother, and naked I turn back thither: Jehovah hath given and Jehovah hath taken: let the name of Jehovah be blessed.'  In all this Job hath not sinned, nor given folly to God.

II. AND the day is, that sons of God come in to station themselves by Jehovah, and there doth come also the Adversary in their midst to station himself by Jehovah. And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, 'Whence camest thou?' And the Adversary answereth Jehovah and saith, 'From going to and fro in the land, and from walking up and down in it.'

And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, 'Hast thou set thy heart unto My servant Job because there is none like him in the land, a man perfect and upright, fearing God and turning aside from evil? and still he is keeping hold on his integrity, and thou dost move Me against him to swallow him up for nought!' And the Adversary answereth Jehovah and saith, 'A skin for a skin, and all that a man hath he doth give for his life. Yet, put forth, I pray Thee, Thy hand, and strike unto his bone and unto his flesh—if not: unto Thy face he doth bless Thee!'

And Jehovah saith unto the Adversary, 'Lo, he is in thy hand; only his life take care of.' And the Adversary goeth forth from the presence of Jehovah, and smiteth Job with a sore ulcer from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he taketh to him a potsherd to scrape himself with it, and he is sitting in the midst of the ashes.

And his wife saith to him, 'Still thou art keeping hold on thine integrity: bless God and die.' And he saith unto her, 'As one of the foolish women speaketh, thou speakest; yea, the good we receive from God, and the evil we do not receive.' In all this Job hath not sinned with his lips.

And three of the friends of Job hear of all this evil that hath come upon him, and they come in each from his place—Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite—and they are met