Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

JOB.

CHAP. I. II.

1 In the land of Uz lived a man, whose name was Job.

He was an upright and good man, fearing God and departing 2 from evil. He had seven sons, and three daughters. 3 His substance was seven thousand sheep, three thousand

4

camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred sheasses, and a great number of servants; so that he was the most wealthy of all the inhabitants of the East.

Now it was the custom of his sons to make a feast in their houses, each on his birth-day, and to send and invite their 5 three sisters to eat and to drink with them. And when the days of feasting were ended, Job used to send for, and sanctify them, and to rise up early in the morning and offer burntofferings according to the number of them all; for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and have renounced God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

6

Now on a certain day the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, and Satan also came among 7 them. And Jehovah said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered Jehovah, and said, From wander8 ing over the earth, and walking up and down in it. And Jehovah said unto Satan, Hast thou observed my servant Job, that

there is none like him in the earth, an upright and good man, 9 fearing God and departing from evil? Then Satan answered 10 Jehovah, Is it for nought that Job feareth God? Hast thou not placed a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all his possessions? Thou hast prospered the work 11 of his hands, and his herds are greatly increased in the land. But only put forth thine hand, and touch whatever he posses12 ses, and to thy face will he renounce thee. And Jehovah said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; but upon him lay not thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of Jehovah.

13

Now on a certain day the sons and daughters of Job were eating, and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house; 14 when a messenger came to Job, and said, The oxen were 15 ploughing, and the asses feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; the servants also they slew with the edge of the sword; and I alone 16 am escaped to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God hath fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I alone am escaped to tell thee. 17 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and carried them away; the servants also they slew with the edge of the sword; and I alone am escaped 18 to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating, 19 and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house; and, lo! there came a great wind from the desert, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and 20 they are dead; and I alone am escaped to tell thee. Then

Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell 21 down upon the ground, and worshipped; and said, Naked came I forth from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither. Jehovah gave, and Jehovah hath taken away;

[ocr errors]

22 blessed be the name of Jehovah. In all this Job sinned not, and uttered nothing rash against Jehovah.

II. 1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah; and Satan came also 2 among them to present himself before Jehovah. And Jehovah said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? And Satan answered Jehovah, and said, From wandering over the 3 earth, and walking up and down in it. Then said Jehovah

to Satan, Hast thou observed my servant Job, that there is none like him upon the earth, an upright and good man, fearing God and departing from evil? And still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou didst excite me against him to de4 stroy him without a cause. And Satan answered Jehovah,

and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath, will he 5 give for his life. But put forth now thine hand, and touch his bone and his flesh, and to thy face will he renounce 6 thee. And Jehovah said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thy hand; but spare his life.

7

Then Satan went forth from the presence of Jehovah, and smote Job with sore biles from the sole of his foot to his 8 crown. And he took a potsherd to scrape himself withal, and sat down among the ashes.

9 Then said his wife to him, Dost thou still retain thine 10 integrity? Renounce God, and die. But he said to her, Thou talkest like one of the foolish women. What! shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this Job sinned not with his lips.

11

And the friends of Job heard of all this evil that was come upon him, and came each one from his home; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; for they had agreed to come to mourn with him, and 12 to comfort him. And they lifted up their eyes at a distance,

and knew him not: then they raised their voices, and wept,

and rent each one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their

13 heads towards heaven. And they sat down with him upon the

1

ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word to him; for they saw that his grief was very great.

CHAP. III.

At length Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day of 2 his birth. And Job exclaimed and said:

3

Perish the day in which I was born,

And the night which said, "A man child is brought forth !" 4 Let that day be darkness ;

Let not God regard it from above;

Yea, let not the light shine upon it!

5 Let darkness and the shadow of death dishonour it;

6

Let a cloud dwell upon it;

Let the deadly heats of the day terrify it!

As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; Let it not rejoice among the days of the year; Let it not come into the number of the months! 7 O let that night be solitary;

Let there be in it no voice of joy;

8 Let the sorcerers of the day curse it,

Who are able to raise up the Leviathan!

9 Let the stars of its twilight be darkened; Let it long for light, and have none;

Neither let it see the eyelids of the morning!

10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb, And hid not trouble from mine eyes.

[blocks in formation]

Why did I not expire when I came forth from the womb? 12 Why did the lap receive me,

And why the breasts, that I might suck?

13 For then should I have lain down and been quiet; I should have slept; then had I been at rest,

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »