Job 1

₁There was a man in the land of Uz. His name was Job. He was a good man. He was honest, he served God and he did not do wrong things. ₂Job had 7 sons and 3 daughters. ₃He had 7 000 sheep and goats, 3 000 camels, 1 000 cattle, 500 donkeys and a lot of slaves. Job was richer than all the people of the East. ₄His sons loved to have feasts at their homes, and they invited their sisters to come and eat and drink with them. ₅After each feast Job told his children to purify themselves. He would get up early in the morning and sacrifice a burnt-offering for each child, because he thought: Maybe my sons have sinned and cursed God. Job always sacrificed an offering for them after their feast was over.

₆One day the messengers_from_heaven came and stood in front of the Lord. God's_enemy was also with them. ₇The Lord asked his_enemy: ‘Where have you been?’ His_enemy said: ‘I have been all over the world.’

₈The Lord asked his_enemy: ‘Have you seen my servant Job? There is no one in the world as good as he. He is a good man, he is honest, he serves Me and he does not do any wrong.’

₉God's_enemy said to Him: ‘I know why Job serves You. He does it because You are good to him and You give him a lot of things. ₁₀You protect him and his family and everything that he has. You have made it go well with everything that he has and he has become very rich. ₁₁But if You take away everything that he has, then he will curse You, that is sure.’

₁₂Then the Lord said to his_enemy: ‘You may do anything that you want to do with all that Job has, but you may not do anything to him.’

Then God's_enemy went away from Him.

₁₃One day Job's children had a feast in the house of their oldest brother. ₁₄Then a servant came to Job and said: ‘The slaves and oxen were ploughing and the donkeys were standing and eating near them ₁₅when suddenly the Sabean people came and they took all the cattle and donkeys. They killed all the slaves. I am the only one who could escape to come and tell you.’

₁₆While the servant was talking, another servant came and said: ‘Lightning from the sky killed all the sheep and goats and the slaves who were with them. I am the only one who could escape to come and tell you.’

₁₇While the servant was talking, another servant came and said: ‘There were 3 groups of Babylonians who came suddenly and took all the camels and killed the slaves who were with the camels. I am the only one who could escape to come and tell you.’

₁₈While that servant was talking, another servant came and said: ‘Your children were having a feast at the house of their oldest brother, ₁₉when suddenly a strong storm wind came from the desert and blew the house down. The 4 walls of the house fell down onto your children and all of them died. I am the only one who could escape to come and tell you.’

₂₀Job got up and he tore his cloak and shaved off all his hair. He bowed down with his face to the ground to worship God ₂₁and he said: ‘I had nothing when I was born, I was naked, and I will have nothing when I die. The Lord gave these things to me, and He has taken them away. I praise the name of the Lord.’

₂₂While all of this happened, Job did not sin. He did not blame God for doing anything wrong.