1 Havia, na terra de Hus, um homem chamado Jó, íntegro, reto, que temia a Deus e fugia do mal.

2 Nasceram-lhe sete filhos e três filhas.

3 Possuía sete mil ovelhas, três mil camelos, quinhentas juntas de bois, quinhentas jumentas e uma grande quantidade de escravos. Este homem era o mais considerado entre todos os homens do Oriente.

4 Seus filhos tinham o costume de ir à casa uns dos outros, alternadamente, para se banquetearem e convidavam suas três irmãs para comerem e beberem com eles.

5 Quando acabava a série dos dias de banquetes, Jó mandava chamar seus filhos para purificá-los e, na manhã do dia seguinte, oferecia um holocausto por intenção de cada um deles: porque, dizia ele, talvez meus filhos tenham pecado e amaldiçoado Deus nos seus corações. Assim fazia Jó cada vez.

6 Um dia em que os filhos de Deus se apresentaram diante do Senhor, veio também Satanás entre eles.

7 O Senhor disse-lhe: De onde vens tu? Andei dando volta pelo mundo, disse Satanás, e passeando por ele.

8 O Senhor disse-lhe: Notaste o meu servo Jó? Não há ninguém igual a ele na terra: íntegro, reto, temente a Deus, afastado do mal.

9 Mas Satanás respondeu ao Senhor: É a troco de nada que Jó teme a Deus?

10 Não cercaste como de uma muralha a sua pessoa, a sua casa e todos os seus bens? Abençoas tudo quanto ele faz e seus rebanhos cobrem toda a região.

11 Mas estende a tua mão e toca em tudo o que ele possui; juro-te que te amaldiçoará na tua face.

12 Pois bem!, respondeu o Senhor. Tudo o que ele tem está em teu poder; mas não estendas a tua mão contra a sua pessoa. E Satanás saiu da presença do Senhor.

13 Ora, um dia em que os filhos e filhas de Jó estavam à mesa e bebiam vinho em casa do seu irmão mais velho,

14 um mensageiro veio dizer a Jó: Os bois lavravam e as jumentas pastavam perto deles.

15 De repente, apareceram os sabeus e levaram tudo; e passaram à espada os escravos. Só eu consegui escapar para te trazer a notícia.

16 Estando ele ainda a falar, veio outro e disse: O fogo de Deus caiu do céu; queimou, consumiu as ovelhas e os escravos. Só eu consegui escapar para te trazer a notícia.

17 Ainda este falava, e eis que chegou outro e disse: Os caldeus, divididos em três bandos, lançaram-se sobre os camelos e os levaram. Passaram a fio de espada os escravos. Só eu consegui escapar para te trazer a notícia!

18 Ainda este estava falando e eis que entrou outro, e disse: Teus filhos e filhas estavam comendo e bebendo vinho em casa do irmão mais velho,

19 quando um furacão se levantou de repente do deserto, abalou os quatro cantos da casa e esta desabou sobre os jovens. Morreram todos. Só eu consegui escapar para te trazer a notícia.

20 Jó então se levantou, rasgou o manto e rapou a cabeça. Depois, caindo prosternado por terra,

21 disse: Nu saí do ventre de minha mãe, nu voltarei. O Senhor deu, o Senhor tirou: bendito seja o nome do Senhor!

22 Em tudo isso, Jó não cometeu pecado algum, nem proferiu contra Deus blasfêmia alguma.

1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God, and turned away from evil. 2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. 3 His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the children of the east. 4 His sons went and held a feast in the house of each one on his birthday; and they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5 It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, 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 renounced God in their hearts." Job did so continually.

6 Now on the day when God’s sons came to present themselves before Yahweh, Satan also came among them. 7 Yahweh said to Satan, "Where have you come from?"

Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, "From going back and forth in the earth, and from walking up and down in it."

8 Yahweh said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant, Job? For there is no one like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil."

9 Then Satan answered Yahweh, and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 Haven’t you made a hedge around him, and around his house, and around all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will renounce you to your face."

12 Yahweh said to Satan, "Behold, all that he has is in your power. Only on himself don’t stretch out your hand."

So Satan went out from the presence of Yahweh. 13 It fell on a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 14 that a messenger came to Job, and said, "The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys feeding beside them, 15 and the Sabeans attacked, and took them away. Yes, they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

16 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The fire of God has fallen from the sky, and has burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."

17 While he was still speaking, another also came and said, "The Chaldeans made three bands, and swept down on the camels, and have taken them away, yes, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you."

18 While he was still speaking, there came also another, and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19 and behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young men, and they are dead. I alone have escaped to tell you."

20 Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down on the ground, and worshiped. 21 He said, "Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked will I return there. Yahweh gave, and Yahweh has taken away. Blessed be Yahweh’s name." 22 In all this, Job didn’t sin, nor charge God with wrongdoing.