The Prologue, 1:1-2:13

There was a man in the land off Uz; Job was his
name. That man was blameless and upright, a Godfearer, a shunner of evil. 2There were born to him
seven sons and three daughters. 3And his
substancea was: seven thousand sheep and three
thousand camels and five hundred yoke of oxen and
five hundred she-asses; and he had a great multitude
of servants,b That man was the greatest of all the
people of the East. 4His sons would go and make a
feast in the house of each on his day, and they would
send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink
with them. 5And when the days of the feast were
over,a Job would sendb and hallow them. He would
rise up earlyc in the morning and offer sacrifices in
accord with the number of them all. For Job would
say, It may be that my children have sinned and
cursedd God in their hearts!e Thus didf Job
continually.
6
Now there came a day whena the sons of God
came to present themselves beforeb Yahweh, and the
Satan also came among them. 7And Yahweh said to
the Satan, Whence do you come? The Satan
answered Yahweh, saying, From going to and fro in
the earth, and from walking up and down in
it. 8Yahweh said to the Satan, Have you considered
my servant Job? aThere is none like him in the earth,
a man blameless and upright, a God-fearer, a
shunner of evil. 9The Satan answered Yahweh,
saying, Is it for naught that Job has
feareda God? 10Have you not put a hedge about him
and about his house and about all that is his on every
side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his
substance is spread throughout the land. 11But put
fortha your hand now and touch all that is his; surely
he would curseb you to your face! 12Yahweh said to
the Satan, See, all that is his is in your hand; only
upon himself do not put forth your hand. And the
Satan went out from the presence of Yahweh.
13
Now there came a day when Jobs sons and
daughters were eating, and drinking wine, in the
house of their eldest brother. 14A messenger came to
Job, and said, The oxen were plowinga and the asses
grazing beside them;b 15and the Sabeans fell upon
thema and took them; the servants they have put to
the sword;b and I alone have escapedc to tell
you. 16But while he was still speaking, another
came, and said, The fire of God fell from heaven
and burned the flocks and the servants, and it has
consumed them; and I alone have escaped to tell
you. 17But while he was still speaking, another
came, and said, The Chaldeans formed three bands,
and made a raid against the camels and took them;
and the servants they have put to the sword; and I
alone have escaped to tell you. 18But while he was
stilla speaking, another came and said, Your sons

and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in

the house of their eldest brother; 19and suddenly a
mighty wind came across the wilderness and struck
the four corners of the house; it has fallen upon the
young people, and they are dead, and I alone have
escaped to tell you.
20
Then Job rose up, and he rent his mantle, and
he shaved his head, and he fell down upon the ground
and did obeisance.a 21And he said, Naked I came
forth from my mothers womb; and naked I shall
return. Yahweh has given; and Yahweh has taken.
May Yahwehs name be blessed.
22
In all thisa Job did not sin or speak
irreverentlyb of God.
2:1
Now there came a day when the sons of God
came to present themselves before Yahweh, and the
Satan also came among them to present himself
before Yahweh. 2And Yahweh said to the Satan,
Whence do you come? The Satan answered
Yahweh, saying, From going to and from in the
earth, and from walking up and down in it. 3Yahweh
said to the Satan, Have you considered my servant
Job? There is none like him in the earth, a man
blameless and upright, a God-fearer, a shunner of
evil. And he still maintains his integrity, even
thougha you urgedb me against him to destroyc him
without cause.d 4The Satan answered Yahweh,
saying, Skin fora skin! All that a man has he will
give for his life. 5But put forth your hand now and
touch his bone and his flesh; surely he would curse
you to your face! 6Yahweh said to the Satan, See,
he is in your hand; only you must preserve his
life. 7The Satan went forth from the presence of
Yahweh, and he smote Job with grievous sores from
the sole Of his foot unto the crown of his head. 8And
Job took up a potsherd and scraped himself with it
asa he sat among the ashes.
9
His wife said to him, Do you still maintain
your integrity? Curse God and die!a
10
Job said to her, Would you too speak as one
of the foolish women? We indeeda accept good from
God; shall we notb also accept harm?
In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
11
Now when Jobs three friends heard of all this
misfortune that had come upon him, they set out,
each from his own home, Eliphaz from Teman,
Bildad from Shuah, and Zophar from Naamah, and
by consent they met in order to bring him sympathy
and comfort. 12And when they lifted up their eyes
from a distance and saw him, they hardly recognized
him; then they lifted up their voice and wept. Each of
them tore his robe, and they threw dust over their
heads into the air.a 13And for seven days and seven
nightsa they sat with him on the ground; none of them
spoke a word to him, for they saw how great his
sufferingb was.