¹ A man, there was—in the land of Uz, Job, his name,—and that man was blameless and upright, and one who revered God, and avoided evil.

² And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.

³ And his substance was—seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a body of servants exceeding large,—thus was that man the greatest of all the sons of the East.

⁴ Now his sons were wont to go, and make a banquet, at the house of each one upon his day,—and to send and call their three sisters, to eat and to drink with them.

⁵ And so it was, when the days of the banquet came round, that Job sent and hallowed them, and rising early in the morning offered ascending-sacrifices according to the number of them all; for Job said, Peradventure my sons have sinned, and have cursed God in their hearts. Thus and thus, was Job wont to do all the days.

⁶ Now there came a certain day, when the sons of God entered in to present themselves unto Yahweh,—so the accuser also entered, in their midst.

⁷ And Yahweh said unto the accuser, Whence comest thou? And the accuser answered Yahweh, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and wandering about therein.

⁸ And Yahweh said unto the accuser, Hast thou applied thy heart unto my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a man blameless and upright, one revering God and avoiding evil?

⁹ And the accuser answered Yahweh, and said, Is it, for nought, that Job revereth God?

¹⁰ Hast not, thou thyself, made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath, on every side? The work of his hands, thou hast blessed, and, his substance, hath broken forth in the land.

¹¹ But, in very deed, put forth, I pray thee, thy hand, and smite all that he hath,—verily, unto thy face, will he curse thee.

¹² And Yahweh said unto the accuser, Lo! all that he hath, is in thy hand, only, against himself, do not put forth thy hand. So the accuser went forth from the presence of Yahweh.

¹³ And there came a certain day,—when his sons and his daughters were eating, and drinking wine, in the house of their eldest brother.

¹⁴ And, a messenger, came in unto Job, and said,—The oxen, were plowing, and, the asses, feeding beside them;

¹⁵ when the Sabeans swooped down, and took them, and, the young men, smote they with the edge of the sword,—and escaped am, only I alone, too tell thee.

¹⁶ Yet was this one speaking, when, another, came in and said,—A fire of God, fell out of the heavens, and burned up the sheep and the young men, and consumed them; and escaped am, only I alone, to tell thee.

¹⁷ Yet was this one speaking, when, another, came in and said, The Chaldeans, appointed three chiefs, and spread out against the camels, and took them, and, the young men, smote they with the edge of the sword; and escaped am, only I alone, to tell thee.

¹⁸ Yet was this one speaking, when, another, came in and said,—Thy sons and thy daughters, were eating, and drinking wine, in the house of their eldest brother;

¹⁹ when lo! a great wind, came from over the desert, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they died,—and escaped am, only I alone, to tell thee.

²⁰ Then Job arose, and rent his robe, and shaved his head, and fell to the earth and worshipped;

²¹ and said—Naked came I forth from the womb of my mother, and naked must I return thither, Yahweh, gave, and, Yahweh, hath taken away,—The name of Yahweh be blessed!

²² In all this, Job sinned not, nor imputed folly unto God.