Job, 2

1. Again 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.

1. Once more the sons of God came to present themselves before Yahweh, and again Satan was with them.

2. And 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.

2. Yahweh asked Satan, "Where have you been?" Satan answered, "Going up and down the earth, roaming about."

3. And 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.

3. Yahweh asked again, "Have you noticed my servant Job? No one on earth is as blameless and upright as he, a man who fears God and avoids evil. He still holds fast to his integrity even if you provoked me to ruin him without cause."

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

4. Satan replied, "Skin for skin! For his own life, anyone will give everything he owns.

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

5. But lay your hand against his own flesh and bones and he will curse you to your face."

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

6. Yahweh said to Satan, "Very well, he is in your power. But spare his life."

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

7. So Satan left the presence of Yahweh and afflicted Job with festering sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.

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

8. Job took a potsherd to scrape himself and sat among the ashes.

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

9. His wife said to him, "Do you still hold on to your integrity? Curse God and die!"

10. But 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.

10. Job replied, "You talk foolishly. If we receive good things from God, why can't we accept evil from him?" In spite of this calamity, Job did not utter a sinful word.

11. Now 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.

11. Three of Job's friends - Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite - heard of the misfortune that came upon him. They set out from their own homes and journeyed together to offer their sympathy and consolation to Job.

12. And 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.

12. Failing to recognize him from the distance, they wept aloud, tore their garments and poured dust upon their heads.

13. So 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.

13. For seven days and seven nights, they sat on the ground beside him. They did not say a word to Job, for they saw how terribly he suffered.