Job 1

The Lord Gave, and the Lord Has Taken Away

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Job of the Land of Ausitis

1:1A certain man lived in the land of Ausitis whose name was Job. That man was true, blameless, righteous, and God-fearing, keeping away from every evil deed.

1:2He had seven sons and three daughters.

1:3His livestock numbered seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred pairs of oxen, and five hundred grazing female donkeys. He had a very large body of servants and great enterprises in the land. That man was of noble standing among those from the sunrise.

1:4His sons would gather with one another and hold a drinking feast each day, taking their three sisters along to eat and drink with them.

1:5When the days of the drinking feast had ended, Job would send for them and purify them, rising in the morning and offering sacrifices for them according to their number, and one calf as a sin offering for their lives. For Job said, “Perhaps my sons have conceived evil thoughts toward God in their minds.” So Job did this continually.

The Devil Before the Lord

1:6When that day came, look, the angels of God came to stand before the Lord, and the devil came with them.

1:7The Lord said to the devil, “Where have you come from?” The devil answered the Lord, “I have come after going around the earth and walking through the world beneath heaven.”

1:8The Lord said to him, “Have you paid attention in your mind to My servant Job? For among those on earth there is no man like him—blameless, true, God-fearing, keeping away from every evil deed.”

1:9The devil answered before the Lord, “Does Job worship God for nothing?

1:10Have You not fenced in what is outside him and what is inside his house, and everything around all that belongs to him? You have blessed the works of his hands and made his livestock numerous in the land.

1:11But stretch out Your hand and touch everything he has; surely he will curse You to Your face.”

1:12Then the Lord said to the devil, “Look, everything he has I give into your hand, but do not touch him.” And the devil went out from the Lord.

The Four Messengers

1:13When that day came, Job’s sons and his daughters were drinking wine in the house of their elder brother.

1:14Look, a messenger came to Job and said to him, “The pairs of oxen were plowing, and the female donkeys were grazing beside them.

1:15The raiders came and carried them away, and killed the servants with swords. I alone was saved and came to report to you.”

1:16While this one was still speaking, another messenger came and said to Job, “Fire fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and likewise consumed the shepherds. I alone was saved and came to report to you.”

1:17While this one was still speaking, another messenger came and said to Job, “The horsemen formed three companies against us, surrounded the camels and carried them away, and killed the servants with swords. I alone was saved and came to report to you.”

1:18While this one was still speaking, another messenger came, saying to Job, “While your sons and daughters were eating and drinking with their elder brother,

1:19a great wind suddenly came from the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house. The house fell on your children, and they died. I alone was saved and came to report to you.”

The Lord Gave, the Lord Has Taken Away

1:20Then Job rose, tore his garments, and cut off the hair of his head. He fell to the ground, bowed in worship, and said:

1:21“I myself came out naked from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart there. The Lord gave; the Lord took away. As it seemed good to the Lord, so it came to pass. May the name of the Lord be blessed.”

1:22In all these things that happened to him, Job did not sin at all before the Lord or attribute foolishness to God.

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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V1 · working draft awaiting specialist review.