1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. He was without sin and upright, fearing God and keeping himself far from evil.

2 And he had seven sons and three daughters.

3 And of cattle he had seven thousand sheep and goats, and three thousand camels, and a thousand oxen, and five hundred she-asses, and a very great number of servants. And the man was greater than any of the sons of the east.

4 His sons regularly went to one another's houses, and every one on his day gave a feast: and at these times they sent for their three sisters to take part in their feasts with them.

5 And at the end of their days of feasting, Job sent and made them clean, getting up early in the morning and offering burned offerings for them all. For, Job said, It may be that my sons have done wrong and said evil of God in their hearts. And Job did this whenever the feasts came round.

6 And there was a day when the sons of the gods came together before the Lord, and the Satan came with them.

7 And the Lord said to the Satan, Where do you come from? And the Satan said in answer, From wandering this way and that on the earth, and walking about on it.

8 And the Lord said to the Satan, Have you taken note of my servant Job, for there is no one like him on the earth, a man without sin and upright, fearing God and keeping himself far from evil?

9 And the Satan said in answer to the Lord, Is it for nothing that Job is a god-fearing man?

10 Have you yourself not put a wall round him and his house and all he has on every side, blessing the work of his hands, and increasing his cattle in the land?

11 But now, put out your hand against all he has, and he will be cursing you to your face.

12 And the Lord said to the Satan, See, I give all he has into your hands, only do not put a finger on the man himself. And the Satan went out from before the Lord.

13 And there was a day when his sons and daughters were feasting in the house of their oldest brother,

14 And a man came to Job, and said, The oxen were ploughing, and the asses were taking their food by their side:

15 And the men of Sheba came against them and took them away, putting the young men to the sword, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.

16 And this one was still talking when another came, and said, The fire of God came down from heaven, burning up the sheep and the goats and the young men completely, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.

17 And this one was still talking when another came, and said, The Chaldaeans made themselves into three bands, and came down on the camels and took them away, putting the young men to the sword, and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.

18 And this one was still talking when another came, and said, Your sons and your daughters were feasting together in their oldest brother's house,

19 When a great wind came rushing from the waste land against the four sides of the house, and it came down on the young men, and they are dead; and I was the only one who got away safe to give you the news.

20 Then Job got up, and after parting his clothing and cutting off his hair, he went down on his face to the earth, and gave worship, and said,

21 With nothing I came out of my mother's body, and with nothing I will go back there; the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; let the Lord's name be praised.

22 In all this Job did no sin, and did not say that God's acts were foolish.

1 I landet Us var det en mann som hette Job; han var en ulastelig og rettskaffen mann, som fryktet Gud og vek fra det onde.

2 Han fikk syv sønner og tre døtre,

3 og han eide syv tusen får og tre tusen kameler og fem hundre par okser og fem hundre aseninner og hadde en stor mengde tjenere; han var mektigere enn alle Østens barn.

4 Hans sønner pleide å holde gjestebud på hver sin dag i hver sitt hus, og de sendte da bud til sine tre søstre og innbød dem til å ete og drikke sammen med dem.

5 Og så ofte en omgang av disse gjestebud var til ende, sendte Job bud efter dem og helliget dem; han stod tidlig op om morgenen og ofret brennoffer, ett for hver av dem; for Job sa: Kanskje mine sønner har syndet og sagt Gud farvel i sitt hjerte. Således gjorde Job alltid.

6 Så hendte det en dag at Guds sønner kom og stilte sig frem for Herren, og blandt dem kom også Satan.

7 Og Herren sa til Satan: Hvor kommer du fra? Satan svarte Herren: Jeg har faret og flakket omkring på jorden.

8 Da sa Herren til Satan: Har du gitt akt på min tjener Job? For det er ingen på jorden som han - en ulastelig og rettskaffen mann, som frykter Gud og viker fra det onde.

9 Men Satan svarte Herren: Mon Job frykter Gud for intet?

10 Har du ikke hegnet om ham og om hans hus og om alt som hans er, på alle kanter? Hans henders gjerning har du velsignet, og hans hjorder har bredt sig vidt utover i landet.

11 Men rekk bare ut din hånd og rør ved alt som hans er! Da vil han visselig si dig farvel like i ditt ansikt.

12 Da sa Herren til Satan: Se, alt som hans er, er i din hånd; men mot ham selv må du ikke rekke ut din hånd. Så gikk Satan bort fra Herrens åsyn.

13 Så hendte det en dag mens hans sønner og døtre åt og drakk vin i den eldste brors hus,

14 da kom det et bud til Job og sa: Oksene pløide, og aseninnene beitet tett ved;

15 da kom sabeerne over dem og tok dem, og drengene hugg de ned med sverdet, og bare jeg alene slapp unda, så jeg kunde melde dig det.

16 Mens han ennu talte, kom en annen og sa: Guds ild fór ned fra himmelen og rammet småfeet og drengene og brente dem op, bare jeg alene slapp unda, så jeg kunde melde dig det.

17 Mens han ennu talte, kom en annen og sa: Kaldeerne delte sig i tre flokker og overfalt kamelene og tok dem, og drengene hugg de ned med sverdet, og bare jeg alene slapp unda, så jeg kunde melde dig det.

18 Mens han ennu talte, kom en annen og sa: Dine sønner og døtre åt og drakk vin i den eldste brors hus;

19 da kom det med ett en sterk storm fra hin side ørkenen og støtte mot alle fire hjørner av huset, så det falt sammen over de unge folk, og de omkom, og bare jeg alene slapp unda, så jeg kunde melde dig det.

20 Da reiste Job sig og sønderrev sin kappe og klipte håret av sitt hode og kastet sig ned på jorden og tilbad

21 og sa: Naken kom jeg av min mors liv, og naken skal jeg vende dit tilbake. Herren gav, og Herren tok; Herrens navn være lovet!

22 Under alt dette syndet Job ikke, og han lastet ikke Gud for det som hadde hendt ham.