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I. The Prologue (1:1-2:13)
Job’s Good Life[a]
1 [b] There was a man[c] in the land of Uz[d] whose[e] name was Job.[f] And that man was blameless[g] and upright,[h] one who feared God and turned away from evil.[i] 2 Seven[j] sons and three daughters were born to him.[k] 3 His possessions[l] included[m] 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys; in addition he had a very great household.[n] Thus he[o] was the greatest of all the people in the east.[p]
4 Now his sons used to go[q] and hold[r] a feast in the house of each one in turn,[s] and they would send and invite[t] their three[u] sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5 When[v] the days of their feasting were finished,[w] Job would send[x] for them and sanctify[y] them; he would get up early[z] in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to[aa] the number of them all. For Job thought, “Perhaps[ab] my children[ac] have sinned and cursed[ad] God in their hearts.” This was Job’s customary practice.[ae]
Satan’s Accusation of Job[af]
6 Now the day came when[ag] the sons of God[ah] came to present themselves before[ai] the Lord—and Satan[aj] also arrived among them. 7 The Lord said[ak] to Satan, “Where have you come from?”[al] And Satan answered the Lord,[am] “From roving about[an] on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.”[ao] 8 So the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered[ap] my servant Job? There is no[aq] one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and turns away[ar] from evil.”
9 Then Satan answered the Lord, “Is it for nothing that Job fears God?[as] 10 Have you[at] not made a hedge[au] around him and his household and all that he has on every side? You have blessed[av] the work of his hands, and his livestock[aw] have increased[ax] in the land. 11 But[ay] extend your hand and strike[az] everything he has, and he will no doubt[ba] curse you[bb] to your face!”
12 So the Lord said to Satan, “All right then,[bc] everything he has is[bd] in your power.[be] Only do not extend your hand against the man himself!”[bf] So Satan went out[bg] from the presence of the Lord.[bh]
Job’s Integrity in Adversity[bi]
13 Now the day[bj] came when Job’s[bk] sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 and a messenger came to Job, saying, “The oxen were plowing[bl] and the donkeys were grazing beside them, 15 and the Sabeans[bm] swooped down[bn] and carried them all away, and they killed[bo] the servants with the sword![bp] And I—only I alone[bq]—escaped to tell you!”
16 While this one was still speaking,[br] another messenger arrived[bs] and said, “The fire of God[bt] has fallen from heaven[bu] and has burned up the sheep and the servants—it has consumed them! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”
17 While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “The Chaldeans[bv] formed three bands and made a raid[bw] on the camels and carried them all away, and they killed the servants with the sword![bx] And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”
18 While this one was still speaking another messenger arrived and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and suddenly[by] a great wind[bz] swept across[ca] the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they died! And I—only I alone—escaped to tell you!”
20 Then Job got up[cb] and tore his robe.[cc] He shaved his head,[cd] and then he threw himself down with his face to the ground.[ce] 21 He said, “Naked[cf] I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return there.[cg] The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away.[ch] May the name of the Lord[ci] be blessed!” 22 In all this Job did not sin, nor did he charge God with moral impropriety.[cj]
Satan’s Additional Charge
2 Again the day came when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also arrived among them to present himself before the Lord.[ck] 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord,[cl] “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.”[cm] 3 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away from evil. And he still holds firmly[cn] to his integrity,[co] so that[cp] you stirred me up to destroy him[cq] without reason.”[cr]
4 But[cs] Satan answered the Lord, “Skin for[ct] skin![cu] Indeed, a man will give up[cv] all that he has to save his life.[cw] 5 But extend your hand and strike his bone and his flesh,[cx] and he will no doubt[cy] curse you to your face!”
6 So the Lord said to Satan, “All right,[cz] he is[da] in your power;[db] only preserve[dc] his life.”
Job’s Integrity in Suffering
7 So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord, and he afflicted[dd] Job with a malignant ulcer[de] from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.[df] 8 Job took a shard of broken pottery to scrape[dg] himself[dh] with while he was sitting[di] among the ashes.[dj]
9 Then[dk] his wife said to him, “Are you still holding firmly to your integrity?[dl] Curse[dm] God, and die!”[dn] 10 But he replied,[do] “You’re talking like one of the godless women[dp] would do! Should we receive[dq] what is good from God, and not also[dr] receive[ds] what is evil?”[dt] In all this Job did not sin by what he said.[du]
The Visit of Job’s Friends[dv]
11 When Job’s three friends heard about all this calamity that had happened to him, each of them came from his own country[dw]—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite.[dx] They met together[dy] to come to show sympathy[dz] for him and to console[ea] him. 12 But when they gazed intently[eb] from a distance but did not recognize[ec] him, they began to weep loudly. Each of them tore his robes, and they threw dust into the air over their heads.[ed] 13 Then they sat down with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, yet no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his pain[ee] was very great.[ef]
II. Job’s Dialogue With His Friends (3:1-27:23)[eg]
Job Regrets His Birth
3 After this Job opened his mouth[eh] and cursed[ei] the day he was born.[ej] 2 Job spoke up[ek] and said:
3 “Let the day on which[el] I was born[em] perish,
and the night that said,[en]
‘A man[eo] has been conceived!’[ep]
4 That day[eq]—let it be darkness;[er]
let not God on high regard[es] it,
nor let light shine[et] on it!
5 Let darkness and the deepest shadow[eu] claim it;[ev]
let a cloud settle on it;
let whatever blackens the day[ew] terrify it.
6 That night—let darkness seize[ex] it;
let it not be included[ey] among the days of the year;
let it not enter among the number of the months![ez]
7 Indeed,[fa] let that night be barren;[fb]
let no shout of joy[fc] penetrate[fd] it!
8 Let those who curse the day[fe] curse it[ff]—
those who are prepared to rouse[fg] Leviathan.[fh]
9 Let its morning stars[fi] be darkened;
let it wait[fj] for daylight but find none,[fk]
nor let it see the first rays[fl] of dawn,
10 because it[fm] did not shut the doors[fn] of my mother’s womb on me,[fo]
nor did it hide trouble[fp] from my eyes.
Job Wishes He Had Died at Birth[fq]
11 “Why did I not[fr] die[fs] at birth,[ft]
and why did I not expire
as[fu] I came out of the womb?
12 Why did the knees welcome me,[fv]
and why were there[fw] two breasts[fx]
that I might nurse at them?[fy]
13 For now[fz] I would be lying down
and[ga] would be quiet,[gb]
I would be asleep and then at peace[gc]
14 with kings and counselors of the earth
who built for themselves places now desolate,[gd]
15 or with princes who possessed gold,[ge]
who filled their palaces[gf] with silver.
16 Or why[gg] was[gh] I not buried[gi]
like a stillborn infant,[gj]
like infants[gk] who have never seen the light?[gl]
17 There[gm] the wicked[gn] cease[go] from turmoil,[gp]
and there the weary[gq] are at rest.
18 There[gr] the prisoners[gs] relax[gt] together;[gu]
they do not hear the voice of the oppressor.[gv]
19 Small and great are[gw] there,
and the slave is free[gx] from his master.[gy]
Longing for Death[gz]
20 “Why does God[ha] give[hb] light to one who is in misery,[hc]
and life to those[hd] whose soul is bitter,
21 to[he] those who wait[hf] for death that[hg] does not come,
and search for it[hh]
more than for hidden treasures,
22 who rejoice[hi] even to jubilation,[hj]
and are exultant[hk] when[hl] they find the grave?[hm]
23 Why is light given[hn] to a man[ho]
whose way is hidden,[hp]
and whom God has hedged in?[hq]
24 For my sighing comes in place of[hr] my food,[hs]
and my groanings[ht] flow forth like water.[hu]
25 For the very thing I dreaded[hv] has happened[hw] to me,
and what I feared has come upon me.[hx]
26 I have no ease,[hy] I have no quietness;
I cannot rest;[hz] turmoil has come upon me.”[ia]
Prophecy and Tongues
14 Pursue love and be eager for the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 For the one speaking in a tongue does not speak to people but to God, for no one understands; he is speaking mysteries by the Spirit.[a] 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening,[b] encouragement, and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds himself up,[c] but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 I wish you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be strengthened.
6 Now, brothers and sisters,[d] if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I help you unless I speak to you with a revelation or with knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7 It is similar for lifeless things that make a sound, like a flute or harp. Unless they make a distinction in the notes, how can what is played on the flute or harp be understood? 8 If, for example, the trumpet makes an unclear sound, who will get ready for battle? 9 It is the same for you. If you do not speak clearly with your tongue, how will anyone know what is being said? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are probably many kinds of languages in the world, and none is without meaning. 11 If then I do not know the meaning of a language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. 12 It is the same with you. Since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit,[e] seek to abound in order to strengthen the church.
13 So then, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14 If[f] I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive. 15 What should I do?[g] I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing praises with my spirit, but I will also sing praises with my mind. 16 Otherwise, if you are praising God with your spirit, how can someone without the gift[h] say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you are certainly giving thanks well, but the other person is not strengthened.
12 Evil men plot against the godly[a]
and viciously attack them.[b]
13 The Lord laughs in disgust[c] at them,
for he knows that their day is coming.[d]
14 Evil men draw their swords
and prepare their bows,
to bring down[e] the oppressed and needy,
and to slaughter those who are godly.[f]
15 Their swords will pierce[g] their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.
16 The little bit that a godly man owns is better than
the wealth of many evil men,[h]
17 for evil men will lose their power,[i]
but the Lord sustains[j] the godly.
18 The Lord watches over the innocent day by day,[k]
and they possess a permanent inheritance.[l]
19 They will not be ashamed when hard times come;[m]
when famine comes they will have enough to eat.[n]
20 But[o] evil men will die;
the Lord’s enemies will be incinerated[p]—
they will go up in smoke.[q]
21 Evil men borrow, but do not repay their debt,
but the godly show compassion and are generous.[r]
22 Surely[s] those favored by the Lord[t] will possess the land,
but those rejected[u] by him will be wiped out.[v]
23 The Lord grants success to the one
whose behavior he finds commendable.[w]
24 Even if[x] he trips, he will not fall headlong,[y]
for the Lord holds[z] his hand.
25 I was once young, now I am old.
I have never seen the godly abandoned,
or their children[aa] forced to search for food.[ab]
26 All day long they show compassion and lend to others,[ac]
and their children[ad] are blessed.
27 Turn away from evil. Do what is right.[ae]
Then you will enjoy lasting security.[af]
28 For the Lord promotes[ag] justice,
and never abandons[ah] his faithful followers.
They are permanently secure,[ai]
but the children[aj] of the wicked are wiped out.[ak]
29 The godly will possess the land
and will dwell in it permanently.
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