Job

1There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

There was a man named Job. He lived in a land called Uz. Job was honest and did what was right. He loved and obeyed God, and he stayed away from evil.

2And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.

Job had seven sons and three daughters.

3His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

He owned 7,000 sheep and 3,000 camels. He had 500 pairs of oxen and 500 female donkeys. He also had a very large number of servants. Job was the greatest man in all the East.

4And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

Job's sons took turns having big meals in their homes. Each brother had his own day. They always invited their three sisters to eat and drink with them.

5And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and 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 cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.

When the days of feasting were over, Job sent for his children. He helped them get clean and ready to come before God. Early in the morning, he burned a gift to God for each one of them. Job thought, "Maybe my children have sinned and said bad things about God in their hearts." Job did this every single time.

6Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

One day the heavenly beings, called the sons of God, came to stand before the LORD. Satan came along with them.

7And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered, "I have been roaming around the earth. I walked back and forth in it."

8And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

Then the LORD said to Satan, "Have you thought about my servant Job? No one on earth is like him. He is honest and does what is right. He loves and obeys God, and he stays away from evil."

9Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

Satan answered the LORD, "Does Job obey God for no reason at all?

10Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

You have put a safe wall around him, his family, and everything he owns. You bless the work he does. He has more and more animals and land.

11But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

But reach out your hand and take away everything he has. Then he will curse you right to your face."

12And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

The LORD said to Satan, "Very well. Everything Job has is in your hands. But you must not hurt Job himself." Then Satan left the place where the LORD was.

13And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:

One day Job's sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine. They were at their oldest brother's house.

14And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:

A messenger came running to Job with news. He said, "The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys were eating grass nearby.

15And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Then raiders called Sabeans attacked and took the animals away. They killed the servants with swords. I am the only one who got away to tell you."

16While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

While he was still talking, another messenger came. He said, "Fire from God fell from the sky. It burned up the sheep and the servants. I am the only one who got away to tell you."

17While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

While he was still talking, another messenger came. He said, "Raiders called Chaldeans came in three groups. They attacked the camels and took them away. They killed the servants with swords. I am the only one who got away to tell you."

18While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house:

While he was still talking, another messenger came. He said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine at their oldest brother's house.

19And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.

Suddenly a strong wind came in from the desert. It hit all four corners of the house. The house fell on the young people, and they are dead. I am the only one who got away to tell you."

20Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,

Then Job stood up. He tore his robe and shaved his head. He fell down on the ground and worshiped God.

21And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

He said, "I had nothing when I was born. I will have nothing when I go back to the ground. The LORD gave me all that I had. The LORD has taken it away. May the name of the LORD be praised."

22In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.

Through all of this, Job did not sin. He did not say that God had done anything wrong.

1Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.

Another day came. The sons of God came to stand before the LORD. Satan came with them to stand before God too.

2And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

The LORD asked Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan said, "From roaming all over the earth, walking here and there."

3And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

The LORD said, "Have you thought about my servant Job? No one on earth is like him. He does what is right and does not do wrong. He respects God and stays away from evil. He still holds on to doing right. You pushed me to hurt him for no reason."

4And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

Satan answered the LORD, "Skin for skin! A man will give away everything he owns to stay alive.

5But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.

But reach out and hurt his body and his bones. Then he will curse you right to your face."

6And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

The LORD said to Satan, "All right. He is in your power. But you must let him live."

7So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

So Satan left the LORD. He covered Job with painful sores. They went from his feet to the top of his head.

8And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.

Job picked up a piece of broken pot. He used it to scrape his skin. He sat down in the ashes.

9Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die.

Then Job's wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to doing right? Curse God and die!"

10But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

Job said, "You talk like a foolish woman. We take good things from God. Should we not also take hard things?" In all this, Job said nothing wrong.

11Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.

Job had three friends. They heard about all the trouble that had come to him. Their names were Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Each one came from his own home. They planned together to go and be sad with Job and comfort him.

12And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice, and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.

They looked up while they were still far away. They could hardly tell it was Job. They cried out loud. Each man tore his coat. They threw dust in the air over their heads.

13So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

They sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him. They saw that his pain was very great.

1After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.

After this, Job began to speak. He cursed the day he was born.

2And Job spake, and said,

Job said these words:

3Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived.

"I wish the day I was born had never happened. I wish that night had never come. That was the night people said, 'A baby boy is on the way.'"

4Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it.

Let that day be dark. Let God above pay it no attention. Let no light shine on it.

5Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.

Let darkness and deep shadow take that day back. Let a cloud sit on top of it. Let the blackness of that day cover it up.

6As for that night, let darkness seize upon it; let it not be joined unto the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months.

As for that night, let thick darkness carry it away. Let it not be counted with the days of the year. Let it never be part of any month.

7Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein.

Look, let that night be empty. Let no happy voice be heard in it.

8Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.

Let the people who curse days curse that night. They are the ones ready to wake the great sea monster.

9Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark; let it look for light, but have none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:

Let its morning stars stay dark. Let that night wait for light and never get any. Let it never see the sun come up.

10Because it shut not up the doors of my mother’s womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes.

All this is because that night did not keep me from being born. It did not hide this sadness from my eyes.

11Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?

Why did I not die when I was born? Why did I not stop breathing as soon as I came out?

12Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?

Why were there knees to hold me? Why were there breasts to feed me?

13For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,

If I had died, I would be lying down quietly now. I would be asleep and resting.

14With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves;

I would be resting with kings and wise helpers of the earth. They built places for themselves that are now empty ruins.

15Or with princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver:

Or I would rest with rulers who owned gold. They filled their houses with silver.

16Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants which never saw light.

Or I could have been a baby who died before being born. I would be like babies who never saw daylight.

17There the wicked cease from troubling; and there the weary be at rest.

In that place, bad people stop making trouble. In that place, tired people rest.

18There the prisoners rest together; they hear not the voice of the oppressor.

There the prisoners rest together. They do not hear anyone shouting orders at them.

19The small and great are there; and the servant is free from his master.

Small people and important people are both there. A servant is free from his master.

20Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul;

Why is light given to a person who is in so much pain? Why is life given to someone so sad inside?

21Which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it more than for hid treasures;

They want to die, but death does not come. They search for it harder than for hidden treasure.

22Which rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they can find the grave?

They would be very happy and full of joy if they could find a grave.

23Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in?

Why is life given to a man who cannot see the way ahead? God has put a wall all around him.

24For my sighing cometh before I eat, and my roarings are poured out like the waters.

I sigh when food is set in front of me. My cries pour out like water.

25For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.

The thing I was most afraid of has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true.

26I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.

I have no peace. I have no quiet. I have no rest. Trouble has come.

1But Job answered and said,

Then Job answered his friends. He said:

2Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!

I wish someone could weigh my sadness. I wish my troubles could be set on a scale.

3For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.

It would weigh more than all the sand by the sea. That is why my words came out wild.

4For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

God the Almighty has shot arrows into me. My spirit drinks in their poison. God's terrors stand in a line against me.

5Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?

A wild donkey does not bray when it has grass. An ox does not low when it has food.

6Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?

Nobody eats food with no taste unless salt is added. The white of an egg has no flavor at all.

7The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.

I refuse even to touch such food. But now this is the sad food I live on.

8Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!

I wish I could have what I ask for. I wish God would give me the thing I long for.

9Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!

I wish God would be willing to crush me. I wish he would reach out and end my life.

10Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

That would still comfort me. Even in pain that never stops, I would be glad. I never hid away the words of the Holy One, who is God.

11What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?

I am not strong enough to keep on hoping. I have nothing ahead worth waiting for.

12Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?

I am not made out of stone. My body is not made out of metal.

13Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?

There is no help left inside me. Every way to get better has been pushed far away.

14To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

A man in despair should get kindness from his friend. He should get it even if he stops honoring God the Almighty.

15My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;

My brothers have let me down. They are like a stream that runs full and then goes away.

16Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:

In cold weather the streams look dark with ice. Melting snow fills them up.

17What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.

But in the dry season they stop. In the heat they dry up and disappear.

18The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.

Travelers turn off the road to look for them. They wander into empty land and die there.

19The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.

Groups of travelers from Tema look for that water. Travelers from Sheba hope to find it.

20They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.

They were so sure the water was there. They arrive, and they go away let down.

21For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.

Now you are no help at all. You see something frightening, and you get afraid.

22Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?

Did I ever say to you, Give me something? Did I ask you to pay money for me?

23Or, Deliver me from the enemy’s hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?

Did I ask you to save me from an enemy? Did I ask you to buy me back from a cruel man?

24Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.

Teach me, and I will be quiet. Help me understand what I did wrong.

25How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?

Honest words can hurt a lot. But what does your arguing prove?

26Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?

Do you plan to correct the words I say? I am hurting badly, and you treat my cries like wind.

27Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.

You would even cast lots to take a child whose father has died. You would trade away your own friend.

28Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie.

Please stop now and look right at me. You can see that I would not lie to your face.

29Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.

Think it over again. Do not be unfair to me. Think again, because I have done nothing wrong.

30Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?

Is there any lie on my tongue? Can my mouth not taste when something is wrong?

1Then Job answered and said,

Then Job answered Bildad.

2I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?

"I know all this is true. But how can a person be right in front of God?"

3If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.

Someone might want to argue with God. He could not answer one question out of a thousand.

4He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?

God is wise and God is strong. No one has fought against him and won.

5Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.

He moves mountains before they even know it. He turns them over when he is angry.

6Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

He shakes the earth out of its place. The ground under it trembles.

7Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.

He tells the sun not to shine. He shuts the stars away.

8Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.

He alone spread out the heavens. He walks on the waves of the sea.

9Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.

He made the star groups: the Bear, Orion, the Pleiades, and the stars of the south.

10Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.

He does great things too big for anyone to figure out. His wonders cannot be counted.

11Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.

If he walked right past me, I would not see him. I would not even notice.

12Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?

If he takes something away, who can stop him? Who would dare ask, "What are you doing?"

13If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.

God does not hold his anger back. Even the proudest helpers bow low under him.

14How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?

So how could I ever answer him? How could I pick words to argue with him?

15Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge.

Even if I were in the right, I could not answer. I could only beg my judge for mercy.

16If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice.

Say I called him and he answered me. I still would not believe he had listened.

17For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.

He would crush me with a storm. He would wound me again and again for no reason.

18He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.

He does not let me catch my breath. He fills me up with bitter pain.

19If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?

If this is about strength, he is the strong one. If it is about fairness, who can call him to court?

20If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

If I said I had done nothing wrong, my own words would still prove me guilty.

21Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.

I have done nothing wrong, but I do not care about myself now. I hate my own life.

22This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

It is all the same. So here is what I say: God destroys good people and bad people alike.

23If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

When sudden trouble kills people, he laughs at the pain of those who did nothing wrong.

24The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he?

The earth is handed to wicked people. He covers the eyes of its judges. If he is not doing it, then who is?