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Job 1-4
Common English Bible
Job 1-4
Common English Bible
Job’s piety and life of bliss
1 A man in the land of Uz was named Job. That man was honest, a person of absolute integrity; he feared God and avoided evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred pairs of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a vast number of servants, so that he was greater than all the people of the east. 4 Each of his sons hosted a feast in his own house on his birthday. They invited their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When the days of the feast had been completed, Job would send word[a] and purify his children.[b] Getting up early in the morning, he prepared entirely burned offerings for each one of them, for Job thought, Perhaps my children have sinned and then cursed[c] God in their hearts. Job did this regularly.
Job’s motives questioned
6 One day the divine beings[d] came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Adversary[e] also came among them. 7 The Lord said to the Adversary, “Where did you come from?”
The Adversary answered the Lord, “From wandering throughout the earth.”
8 The Lord said to the Adversary, “Have you thought about my servant Job; surely there is no one like him on earth, a man who is honest, who is of absolute integrity, who reveres God and avoids evil?”
9 The Adversary answered the Lord, “Does Job revere God for nothing? 10 Haven’t you fenced him in—his house and all he has—and blessed the work of his hands so that his possessions extend throughout the earth? 11 But stretch out your hand and strike all he has. He will certainly curse you to your face.”
12 The Lord said to the Adversary, “Look, all he has is within your power; only don’t stretch out your hand against him.” So the Adversary left the Lord’s presence.
Job passes the test
13 One day Job’s sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house. 14 A messenger came to Job and said: “The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys were grazing nearby 15 when the Sabeans took them and killed the young men with swords. I alone escaped to tell you.”
16 While this messenger was speaking, another arrived and said: “A raging fire fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and devoured the young men. I alone escaped to tell you.”
17 While this messenger was speaking, another arrived and said: “Chaldeans set up three companies, raided the camels and took them, killing the young men with swords. I alone escaped to tell you.”
18 While this messenger was speaking, another arrived and said: “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 when a strong wind came from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It fell upon the young people, and they died. I alone escaped to tell you.”
20 Job arose, tore his clothes, shaved his head, fell to the ground, and worshipped. 21 He said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb; naked I will return there. The Lord has given; the Lord has taken; bless the Lord’s name.” 22 In all this, Job didn’t sin or blame God.
Job’s Adversary refuses to give up
2 One day the divine beings came to present themselves before the Lord. The Adversary also came among them to present himself before the Lord. 2 The Lord said to the Adversary, “Where have you come from?”
The Adversary answered the Lord, “From wandering throughout the earth.”
3 The Lord said to the Adversary, “Have you thought about my servant Job, for there is no one like him on earth, a man who is honest, who is of absolute integrity, who reveres God and avoids evil? He still holds on to his integrity, even though you incited me to ruin him for no reason.”
4 The Adversary responded to the Lord, “Skin for skin—people will give up everything they have in exchange for their lives. 5 But stretch out your hand and strike his bones and flesh. Then he will definitely curse[f] you to your face.”
6 The Lord answered the Adversary, “There he is—within your power; only preserve his life.”
The test intensifies
7 The Adversary departed from the Lord’s presence and struck Job with severe sores from the sole of his foot to the top of his head. 8 Job took a piece of broken pottery to scratch himself and sat down on a mound of ashes. 9 Job’s wife said to him, “Are you still clinging to your integrity? Curse[g] God, and die.”
10 Job said to her, “You’re talking like a foolish woman. Will we receive good from God but not also receive bad?” In all this, Job didn’t sin with his lips.
Job’s three friends come to comfort him
11 When Job’s three friends heard about all this disaster that had happened to him, they came, each one from his home—Eliphaz from Teman, Bildad from Shuah, and Zophar from Naamah. They agreed to come so they could console and comfort him. 12 When they looked up from a distance and didn’t recognize him, they wept loudly. Each one tore his garment and scattered dust above his head toward the sky. 13 They sat with Job on the ground seven days and seven nights, not speaking a word to him, for they saw that he was in excruciating pain.
Job responds differently
3 Afterward, Job spoke up and cursed the day he was born.
2 Job said:
3 Perish the day I was born,
the night someone said,
“A boy has been conceived.”
4 That day—let it be darkness;
may God above ignore it,
and light not shine on it.
5 May deepest darkness claim it
and a cloud linger over it;
may all that darkens the day terrify it.
6 May gloom seize that night;
may it not be counted in the days of a year;
may it not appear in the months.
7 May that night be childless;
may no happy singing come in it.
8 May those who curse the day curse it,
those with enough skill to awaken Leviathan.
9 May its evening stars stay dark;
may it wait in vain for light;
may it not see dawn’s gleam,
10 because it didn’t close the doors of my mother’s womb,[h]
didn’t hide trouble from my eyes.
Job laments his misfortune
11 Why didn’t I die at birth,
come forth from the womb and die?
12 Why did knees receive me
and breasts let me nurse?
13 For now I would be lying down quietly;
I’d sleep; rest would be mine
14 with kings and earth’s advisors,
who rebuild ruins for themselves,
15 or with princes who have gold,
who fill their houses with silver.
16 Or why wasn’t I like a buried miscarried infant,
like babies who never see light?
17 There the wicked rage no more;
there the weak rest.
18 Prisoners are entirely at ease;
they don’t hear a boss’s voice.
19 Both small and great are there;
a servant is free from his masters.
20 Why is light given to the hard worker,
life to those bitter of soul,
21 those waiting in vain for death,
who search for it more than for treasure,
22 who rejoice excitedly,
who are thrilled when they find a grave?
23 Why is light given[i] to the person whose way is hidden,
whom God has fenced in?
24 My groans become my bread;
my roars pour out like water.
25 Because I was afraid of something awful,
and it arrived;
what I dreaded came to me.
26 I had no ease, quiet, or rest,
and trembling came.
Eliphaz tries to comfort Job
4 Then Eliphaz, a native of Teman, responded:
2 If one tries to answer you, will you be annoyed?
But who can hold words back?
3 Look, you’ve instructed many
and given strength to drooping hands.
4 Your words have raised up the falling;
you’ve steadied failing knees.
5 But now it comes to you, and you are dismayed;
it has struck you, and you are frightened.
6 Isn’t your religion the source of[j] your confidence;
the integrity of your conduct, the source of your hope?
Sinners don’t live long
7 Think! What innocent person has ever perished?
When have those who do the right thing been destroyed?
8 As I’ve observed, those who plow sin
and sow trouble will harvest it.
9 When God breathes deeply, they perish;
by a breath of his nostril they are annihilated.
10 The roar of a lion and snarl of the king of beasts—
yet the teeth of lions are shattered;
11 the lion perishes without prey,
and its cubs are scattered.
A frightening dream
12 But a word sneaked up on me;
my ears caught a hint of it.
13 In profound thoughts, visions of night,
when deep sleep falls on people,
14 fear and dread struck me;
all of my bones shook.
15 A breeze swept by my face;
the hair of my skin bristled.
16 It stopped. I didn’t recognize its visible form,
although a figure was in front of my eyes.
Silence! Then I heard a voice:
17 “Can a human be more righteous than God,
a person purer than their maker?”
Its interpretation
18 If he doesn’t trust his servants
and levels a charge against his messengers,
19 how much less those who dwell in houses of clay,
whose foundations are in dust,
and who are crushed like a moth?
20 They are smashed between morning and evening;
they perish forever without anyone knowing.
21 Isn’t their tent cord pulled up?
They die without wisdom.[k]
Footnotes
- Job 1:5 Heb lacks word.
- Job 1:5 Or them
- Job 1:5 Or blessed. The verb for bless is a euphemism for curse in 1:11; 2:5, 9; whereas in 1:10, 21 and 42:12 it has its usual meaning.
- Job 1:6 Or children of God
- Job 1:6 Heb hassatan
- Job 2:5 Or bless
- Job 2:9 Or bless
- Job 3:10 Heb lacks mother’s.
- Job 3:23 Heb lacks is light given.
- Job 4:6 Heb lacks the source.
- Job 4:21 Some interpreters end the quotation here rather than 4:17.
Job 1-4
New International Version
Job 1-4
New International Version
Prologue
1 In the land of Uz(A) there lived a man whose name was Job.(B) This man was blameless(C) and upright;(D) he feared God(E) and shunned evil.(F) 2 He had seven sons(G) and three daughters,(H) 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys,(I) and had a large number of servants.(J) He was the greatest man(K) among all the people of the East.(L)
4 His sons used to hold feasts(M) in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified.(N) Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering(O) for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned(P) and cursed God(Q) in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.
6 One day the angels[a](R) came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan[b](S) also came with them.(T) 7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”(U)
8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job?(V) There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God(W) and shuns evil.”(X)
9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?”(Y) Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge(Z) around him and his household and everything he has?(AA) You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.(AB) 11 But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has,(AC) and he will surely curse you to your face.”(AD)
12 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has(AE) is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”(AF)
Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.
13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters(AG) were feasting(AH) and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing(AI) nearby, 15 and the Sabeans(AJ) attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens(AK) and burned up the sheep and the servants,(AL) and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans(AM) formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters(AN) were feasting(AO) and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind(AP) swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead,(AQ) and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!(AR)”
20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe(AS) and shaved his head.(AT) Then he fell to the ground in worship(AU) 21 and said:
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.[c](AV)
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;(AW)
may the name of the Lord be praised.”(AX)
22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.(AY)
2 On another day the angels[d](AZ) came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them(BA) to present himself before him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”(BB)
3 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.(BC) And he still maintains his integrity,(BD) though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.”(BE)
4 “Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has(BF) for his own life. 5 But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones,(BG) and he will surely curse you to your face.”(BH)
6 The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hands;(BI) but you must spare his life.”(BJ)
7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.(BK) 8 Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.(BL)
9 His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity?(BM) Curse God and die!”(BN)
10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish[e] woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”(BO)
In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.(BP)
11 When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite,(BQ) Bildad the Shuhite(BR) and Zophar the Naamathite,(BS) heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.(BT) 12 When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him;(BU) they began to weep aloud,(BV) and they tore their robes(BW) and sprinkled dust on their heads.(BX) 13 Then they sat on the ground(BY) with him for seven days and seven nights.(BZ) No one said a word to him,(CA) because they saw how great his suffering was.
Job Speaks
3 After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.(CB) 2 He said:
3 “May the day of my birth perish,
and the night that said, ‘A boy is conceived!’(CC)
4 That day—may it turn to darkness;
may God above not care about it;
may no light shine on it.
5 May gloom and utter darkness(CD) claim it once more;
may a cloud settle over it;
may blackness overwhelm it.
6 That night—may thick darkness(CE) seize it;
may it not be included among the days of the year
nor be entered in any of the months.
7 May that night be barren;
may no shout of joy(CF) be heard in it.
8 May those who curse days[f] curse that day,(CG)
those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.(CH)
9 May its morning stars become dark;
may it wait for daylight in vain
and not see the first rays of dawn,(CI)
10 for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me
to hide trouble from my eyes.
11 “Why did I not perish at birth,
and die as I came from the womb?(CJ)
12 Why were there knees to receive me(CK)
and breasts that I might be nursed?
13 For now I would be lying down(CL) in peace;
I would be asleep and at rest(CM)
14 with kings and rulers of the earth,(CN)
who built for themselves places now lying in ruins,(CO)
15 with princes(CP) who had gold,
who filled their houses with silver.(CQ)
16 Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child,(CR)
like an infant who never saw the light of day?(CS)
17 There the wicked cease from turmoil,(CT)
and there the weary are at rest.(CU)
18 Captives(CV) also enjoy their ease;
they no longer hear the slave driver’s(CW) shout.(CX)
19 The small and the great are there,(CY)
and the slaves are freed from their owners.
20 “Why is light given to those in misery,
and life to the bitter of soul,(CZ)
21 to those who long for death that does not come,(DA)
who search for it more than for hidden treasure,(DB)
22 who are filled with gladness
and rejoice when they reach the grave?(DC)
23 Why is life given to a man
whose way is hidden,(DD)
whom God has hedged in?(DE)
24 For sighing(DF) has become my daily food;(DG)
my groans(DH) pour out like water.(DI)
25 What I feared has come upon me;
what I dreaded(DJ) has happened to me.(DK)
26 I have no peace,(DL) no quietness;
I have no rest,(DM) but only turmoil.”(DN)
Eliphaz
4 Then Eliphaz the Temanite(DO) replied:
2 “If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?
But who can keep from speaking?(DP)
3 Think how you have instructed many,(DQ)
how you have strengthened feeble hands.(DR)
4 Your words have supported those who stumbled;(DS)
you have strengthened faltering knees.(DT)
5 But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged;(DU)
it strikes(DV) you, and you are dismayed.(DW)
6 Should not your piety be your confidence(DX)
and your blameless(DY) ways your hope?
7 “Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?(DZ)
Where were the upright ever destroyed?(EA)
8 As I have observed,(EB) those who plow evil(EC)
and those who sow trouble reap it.(ED)
9 At the breath of God(EE) they perish;
at the blast of his anger they are no more.(EF)
10 The lions may roar(EG) and growl,
yet the teeth of the great lions(EH) are broken.(EI)
11 The lion perishes for lack of prey,(EJ)
and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.(EK)
12 “A word(EL) was secretly brought to me,
my ears caught a whisper(EM) of it.(EN)
13 Amid disquieting dreams in the night,
when deep sleep falls on people,(EO)
14 fear and trembling(EP) seized me
and made all my bones shake.(EQ)
15 A spirit glided past my face,
and the hair on my body stood on end.(ER)
16 It stopped,
but I could not tell what it was.
A form stood before my eyes,
and I heard a hushed voice:(ES)
17 ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God?(ET)
Can even a strong man be more pure than his Maker?(EU)
18 If God places no trust in his servants,(EV)
if he charges his angels with error,(EW)
19 how much more those who live in houses of clay,(EX)
whose foundations(EY) are in the dust,(EZ)
who are crushed(FA) more readily than a moth!(FB)
20 Between dawn and dusk they are broken to pieces;
unnoticed, they perish forever.(FC)
21 Are not the cords of their tent pulled up,(FD)
so that they die(FE) without wisdom?’(FF)
Common English Bible (CEB)
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.