1 ك انَ هُناكَ رَجُلٌ فِي بِلادِ عُوصٍ اسْمُهُ أيُّوبُ. وَكانَ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلُ نَزِيهاً وَمُستَقِيماً، يَتَّقِي اللهَ وَيَبتَعِدُ عَنِ الشَرِّ.

There 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.

2 و َقَد وُلِدَ لَهُ سَبعَةُ أولادٍ وَثَلاثُ بَناتٍ.

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

3 و َكانَ يَمتَلِكُ سَبعَةَ آلافِ خَرُوفٍ وَماعِزٍ، وَثَلاثَةَ آلافِ جَمَلٍ، وَخَمسَ مِئَةِ زَوجٍ مِنَ الثِّيرانِ، وَخَمْسَ مِئَةِ حِمارٍ، وَخُدّاماً كَثِيرِينَ، فَكانَ أغنَى سُكّانِ المَشرِقِ.

His 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.

4 و َكُلَّ يَومٍ، كانَ يأتي دَورُ أحَدِ أولادِهِ لِيُقيمَ وَليمَةً فِي بَيتِهِ، وَيَدْعُو أخَواتِهِ الثَّلاثَ لِيَأكُلْنَ وَيَشرَبْنَ مَعَهُمْ.

And 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.

5 و َعِندَ انتِهاءِ كُلِّ وَلِيمَةٍ، كانَ أيُّوبُ يُكَرِّسُهُمْ. فَكانَ يَنهَضُ باكِراً فِي الصَّباحِ وَيُقَدِّمُ ذَبائِحَ بِعَدَدِ أبنائِهِ وَبَناتِهِ. لأنَّ أيُّوبَ كَانَ يَقُولُ فِي نَفسِهِ: «رُبَّما أخطَأ أبنائِي فَلَعَنُوا اللهَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ.» وَمارَسَ أيُّوبُ هَذا الأمرَ دائِماً.

And 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.

6 و َذاتَ يَومٍ دَخَلَتِ المَلائِكَةُ لِتَقِفَ فِي حَضْرَةِ اللهِ ، وَكانَ الشَّيطانُ أيضاً بَينَهُمْ.

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

7 ف َقالَ اللهُ لِلشَّيطانِ: «مِنْ أينَ جِئتَ؟» فَأجابَ الشَّيطانُ اللهَ: «مِنَ التَّجَوُّلِ هُنا وَهُناكَ فِي الأرْضِ وَالتَّمَشِّي فِيها.»

And 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.

8 ف َسَألَ اللهُ الشَّيطانَ: «هَلْ لاحَظتَ أنَّهُ لا يُوجَدُ فِي الأرْضِ مَثِيلٌ لِعَبدِي أيُّوبَ فِي نَزاهَتِهِ وَاستِقامَتِهِ وَتَقواهُ وَخَوْفِهِ اللهَ وَابتِعادِهِ عَنِ الشَّرِّ؟»

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?

9 ف َأجابَ الشَّيطانُ اللهَ: «وَهَلْ يَخافُ أيُّوبُ اللهَ بِلا مُقابِلٍ؟

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

10 أ لَمْ تُسَيِّجْ حَولَهُ وَحَولَ بَيتِهِ وَحَولَ كُلِّ ما يَملُكُهُ؟ لَقَدْ جَعَلْتَهُ ناجِحاً وَوَسَّعتَ مُمتَلَكاتِهِ فِي الأرْضِ كَثِيراً.

Hast 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.

11 ل َكِنْ لَو مَدَدْتَ يَدَكَ وَأفْسَدْتَ كُلَّ ما لَهُ، فَسَيَلعَنُكَ فِي وَجْهِكَ!»

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

12 ف َقالَ اللهُ لِلشَّيطانِ: «افعَلْ ما شِئتَ بِأيِّ شَيءٍ يَملِكُهُ، لَكِنْ لا تُؤذِ جَسَدَهُ.» فَخَرَجَ الشَّيطانُ مِنْ حَضْرَةِ اللهِ. أيُّوبُ يفقدُ أملاكَه وَأولادَه

And 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.

13 و َذاتَ يَوْمٍ كانَ أولادُ أيُّوبَ وَبَناتُهُ يَأكُلُونَ وَيَشرَبُونَ النَّبِيذَ فِي بَيتِ ابنِهِ البِكرِ.

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

14 ف َجاءَ إلَى أيُّوبَ رَسُولٌ يَقُولُ لَهُ: «كُنّا نَحرُثُ الأرْضَ بِالثِّيرانِ، وَكَانَتِ الحَمِيرُ تَرعَى إلَى جانِبِها.

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

15 ف َهَجَمَ عَلَيها بَعضُ السَّبَئيِّينَ وَسَلَبُوها. وَقَتَلُوا بِسُيُوفِهِمِ الحُرّاسَ. وَقَدْ هَرَبتُ وَحدِي لِأنقُلَ إلَيكَ الخَبَرَ.»

And 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.

16 و َبَينَما كانَ ذَلِكَ الرَّسُولُ يَتَكَلَّمُ، وَصَلَ رَسُولٌ آخَرُ يَقُولُ: «نَزَلَتْ صاعِقَةٌ مِنَ السَّماءِ وَالتَهَمَتِ الخِرافَ وَالماعِزَ وَالحُرّاسَ. وَقَد هَرَبْتُ وَحدِي لِأنقُلَ إلَيكَ الخَبَرَ.»

While 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.

17 و َبَينَما كانَ ذَلِكَ الرَّسُولُ يَتَكَلَّمُ، وَصَلَ رَسُولٌ آخَرُ يَقُولُ: «هَجَمَ بَعضُ الكَلدانِيِّينَ فِي ثَلاثِ فِرَقٍ عَلَى الجِمالِ وَأخَذُوها، وَقَتَلُوا بِسُيُوفِهِمِ الحُرّاسَ. وَقَدْ هَرَبْتُ وَحدِي لِأنقُلَ إلَيكَ الخَبَرَ.»

While 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.

18 و َبَينَما كانَ ذَلِكَ الرَّسُولُ يَتَكَلَّمُ، وَصَلَ رَسُولٌ آخَرُ يَقُولُ: «كانَ أبناؤُكَ وَبَناتُكَ يَأكُلُونَ وَيَشرَبُونَ النَّبِيذَ فِي بَيتِ أخِيهِمِ الأكبَرِ، بِكْرِكَ،

While 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:

19 ف َهَبَّتْ عاصِفَةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ عَبرَ الصَّحراءِ وَضَرَبَتِ البَيتَ كُلَّهُ، فَانْهارَ عَلَى أبنائِكَ وَبَناتِكَ فَماتُوا جَمِيعاً، وَقَد هَرَبتُ وَحدِي لِأنقُلَ إلَيكَ الخَبَرَ.»

And, 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.

20 ف َنَهَضَ أيُّوبُ وَشَقَّ ثَوبَهُ حُزناً. ثُمَّ حَلَقَ رَأسَهُ وَارتَمَى عَلَى الأرْضِ وَسَجَدَ مِراراً.

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

21 و َقالَ: «عُرْياناً خَرَجتُ مِنْ بَطنِ أُمِّي، وَعُرْياناً سَأعُودُ. اللهُ أعطَى، وَاللهُ أخَذَ. فَلِيَتَبارَكِ اسْمُ اللهِ.»

And 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.

22 ف َلَمْ يَرتَكِبْ أيُّوبُ إثماً فِي كُلِّ هَذا، وَلَمْ يَتَّهِمِ اللهَ بِالظُّلْمِ!

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