NEW TRANSLATION OF THE BOOK OF JOB. PART I. СНАР. І. 1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. 2 And that man was sincere and upright; and one that feared 3 God and avoided evil. And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. His possessions were seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of cattle, and five hundred she-asses, and a very numerous household; so that this man was the greatest of all the sons of the East. 4 And his sons went and made a feast in their houses, each in his day, and they sent and invited their three sisters to eat 5 and drink with them. And when the days of feasting had gone round, Job sent for them and sanctified them, and he rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and have cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job constantly. 6 And there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before JEHOVAII, and Satan came also among them. 7 And JEHOVAH said to Satan, From whence dost thou come ? And Satan answered JEHOVAH and said, From rapidly going to and fro in the earth, and walking up and down in it. 8 And JEHOVAH said to Satan, Hast thou attentively observed my servant Job? For there is none like him upon the earth, a 9 man sincere and upright, fearing God, and avoiding evil. And Satan answered JEHOVAH and said, Is it for nothing that Job 10 fears God? Hast thou not made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all his possessions? The work of his hands thou hast blessed, and his possessions spread over 14 11 the land. But now only put forth thine hand and smite ali 12 that he possesses, and he will curse thee to thy face. And JEHOVAH said to Satan, Lo, all which he has is in thy power; but upon himself lay not thy hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of JEHOVAH. 13 And the day came when his sons and his daughters were eat14 ing and drinking wine in the house of their elder brother; and a messenger came to Job, and said, The cattle were plough15 ing, and the she-asses feeding beside them, and the Sabeans rushed upon them, and took them away, and slew the young men with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped by 16 myself to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God hath fallen from heaven, and burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed 17 them; and I only have escaped by myself to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and rushed upon the camels, and took them, and slew the young men with the edge of the 18 sword; and I only am escaped by myself to tell thee. And while he was yet speaking, there came also another and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating, and drinking wine 19 in the house of their elder brother, and lo! there came a great wind from across the desert, and smote upon the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are 20 dead; and I only am escaped by myself to tell thee. Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell 21 upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, Naked came I forth from the womb of my mother, and naked I shall return there! JEHOVAH gave, and JEHOVAH hath taken away; bless22 ed be the name of JEHOVAH. In all this Job did not sin, and he attributed no wrong to God. CHAP. II. 1 And there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before JEHOVAH, and Satan came also among them, 2 to present himself also before JEHOVAH. And JEHOVAH said Jenovan. to Satan, Whence dost thou come? And Satan answered JEHOVAH and said, From rapidly going to and fro in the earth, 3 and walking up and down in it. And JEHOVAH said to Satan, Hast thou attentively observed my servant Job, that there is none like him upon the earth, a man sincere and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil, and still holding fast his integrity, although thou didst excite me against him to destroy 4 him without cause? And Satan answered JEHOVAH and said, Skin for skin; and all which pertains to a man will he give 5 for his life. But put forth now thine hand, and smite his bone 6 and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. And JEHOVAH said unto Satan, Behold he is in thy hand. Only spare his life. 7 And Satan went out from the presence of JEHOVAH, and smote 8 Job with a painful ulcer from the sole of his foot unto his crown. And he took a piece of broken earthen ware to scrape himself with, and he sat down among the ashes. 9 Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine in10 tegrity? Curse God, and die. But he said unto her, Thou talkest as one of the foolish women talk. Shall we then receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this, Job sinned not with his lips. 11 Now three friends of Job heard of all the evil which had befallen him, and they came every man from his home: Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, for they had agreed to come together to condole 12 with him, and to comfort him. And they lifted And they lifted up their eyes afar off, and they did not know him. Then they lifted up their voices and wept, and they rent each one his mantle, and they 13 threw dust upon their heads towards heaven. And they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spake a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great. PART II. THE ARGUMENT OR CONTROVERSY IN VERSE. Ch. iii.-xli 6 The first series in the controversy. Ch. iii.-xiv. THE COMPLAINT OF JOB. Ch. iii. 1 At length Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day. 2 And Job exclaimed and said, 3 O that the day had perished in which I was born ; And the night which said, "A male child is conceived! 4 That day-let it be darkness! Let not God inquire after it from on high! Yea, let not the light shine upon it! 5 Let darkness and the shadow of death pollute it; Let a cloud dwell upon it; Let whatever darkens the day render it terrible! 6 That night--let darkness seize upon it! Let it not rejoice among the days of the year! 7 O that night! let it be desolate ! Let there come in it no sound of joy! Let it long for the light, and there be none; 11 Why did I not expire from my birth? When I came from the womb why did I not die? 12 Why did the knees anticipate me? And why the breasts that I should suck? 13 For now should I lie down and be quiet; I should sleep, then should I be at rest 14 With kings and counsellors of the earth, Who build lonely places for themselves; 15 Or with princes that had gold, And who filled their houses with silver; 16 Or as a hidden abortion I had not been, As infants which never saw the light. 17 There the wicked cease from troubling : And there the weary are at rest. 18 There the prisoners rest together; They hear not the voice of the oppressor. 19 The small and the great are there; And the servant is free from his master. 20 Why doth He give light to him that is in misery, And life to the bitter in spirit; 21 Who long for death, and it is not; And dig for it more than for hid treasures; 22 Who rejoice exceedingly— Yea, they exult when they can find a grave? 23 Why to the man whose path is hid, And whom God hath hedged up? 24 For my sighing comes before I eat, And my groans are poured forth as the billows. 25 For I had a great dread, and it came upon me; And what I shuddered at overtook me. 26 I have no peace, and I have no quiet, and I have no respite, And such misery as makes me tremble comes. CHAPTER IV. V. The first series in the controversy continued. THE FIRST SPEECH OF ELIPHAZ IN REPLY TO JOB. 1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite and said: |