Chapter one
1The book of the words of Job, the one called Jobab
2Now on the day when , having fallen ill, he began to settle his affairs, he called
3his seven sons and this three daughters, whose names are Tersi, Choros, Hyon,
4Nike, Phoros, Phiphe, Phrouon, herma, Kasia, and Amaltheia’s Horn. And when he had called his children he said, Gather round, my children, Gather round me so that I may show you the things which the Lord did with me and all the things which have happened to me.
5I am your father Job, fully engaged in endurance. But you are a chosen and
6homored race from the seed of Jacob, the father of your mother. For I am from the sons of Esau, the brother of Jacob, of whom is your mother Dinah, from whom I begot you. (MY former wife died with the other ten children in a bitter death.)
7So hear me, children, and I will show you the things which have befallen me.
Chapter two
1,2Now I used to be Jobab before the Lord named me Job. When I was called
3Jobab, I lived quite near a venerated idol’s temple. As I constantly saw whole-burnt offerings being offered up there, I began reasoning within myself saying,
4Is this really the God who made heaven and earth, the sea too, and our very selves? How shall I know?
Chapter three
1One night as I was in bed a loud voice came to me in a very bright light saying,
2Jobab, Jobab! And I said, Yes? Here I am. And he said, Arise, and I will
3show you who this is whom you wish to know. This one whose whole-burnt offerings they bring and whose drink offerings they pour is not God. Rather, his is the power of the devil, by whom human nature is deceived.
4,5When I heard these things, I fell on my bed worshiping and saying, My Lord,
6who came from the salvation of my soul, I beg you – if this is indeed the place of Satan by whom men are deceived – grant me authority to go and purge his place
7so that I may put an end to the drink offerings being poured for him. Who is there to forbid me, since I rule this region?
Chapter four
1The light answered men and said, You shall be able to purge this place. But I am going to show you all the things which the Lord charged me to tell you.
2And I said, Whatever he has charged me, his servant, I will hear and do,
3,4Again he said, Thus says the Lord If you attempt to purge the place of Satan he will rise up against you with wrath for battle. But he will be unable to bring
5death upon you. He will bring on you many plagues, he will take away for himself
6your goods, he will carry off your children. But if you are patient, I will make your name renowned in all generations of the earth till the consummation of the
7age. And I will return you again to your goods. It will be repaid to you doubly,
8so you may know that the Lord is impartial – rendering good things to each one
9,10who obeys. And you shall be raised up in the resurrection. For you will be like
11a sparring athlete, both enduring pains and winning the crown. Then will you know that the Lord is just, true, and strong, giving strength to his elect ones.
Chapter five
1And I, my little children, replied to him, Till death I will endure; I will not
2step back at all. After I had been sealed by the angel when he left me, my little children, then – having arisen the next night – I took fifty youths with me, struck
3off for the temple of the idol, and leveled it to the ground. And so I withdrew into my house, having ordered the doors to be secured.
Chapter six
1,2Listen, little children, and marvel. For as soon as I entered into my house and
3secured my doors, I charged my doormen thus, If anyone should seek me today, give no report; but say., He has no time, for he is inside concerned with an urgent matter.
4So while I was inside Satan knocked at the door, having disguised himself as
5a beggar. And he said to the doormaid, Tell Job I wish to meet with him.
6When the doormaid came and told me these things she heard me say to report the I had no time just now.
Chapter seven
1When he heard that, Satan departed and put a yoke on his shoulders. And
2when he arrived, he spoke to the doormaid saying, Say to Job, Give me a loaf
3of bread from your hands so I may eat. So I gave a burnt loaf of bread to the
4girl to give to him and said to him. Expect to eat my loaves no longer, for you are estranged from me.
5Then the doormaid, ashamed to give him the burnt and ashen loaf of bread
6(for she did not know he was Satan), took the good loaf of her own and gave it
7to him. And when he received it and knew what had occurred he said to the girl, Off with you, evil servant. Bring the loaf of bread given you to be given to me.
8The girl wept with deep grief, saying, Truly, you well say I am an evil servant.
9For if I were not, I would have done just as it was assigned to me by my master. And when she returned, she brought him the burnt loaf of bread, saying to him
10Thus says my lord, You shall no longer eat from my loaves at all, for I have
11been estranged from you. Yet I have given you this loaf of bread in order that I may not be accused of providing nothing to a begging enemy.
12When he heard these things, Satan sent the girl back to me saying, As this loaf of bread is wholly burnt, so shall I do to your body also. For within the hour, I
13will depart and devastate you. And I replied to him, Do what you will. For if you intend to bring anything on me, I am prepared to undergo whatever you inflict.
Chapter eight
1,2After he withdrew from me, when he had gone out under the firmament, he
3implored the Lord that he might receive authority over my goods. And then, when he had received the authority, he came and took away all my wealth.
Chapter nine
1So listen, for I will show you all the things which have befallen me, my losses.
2,3For I used to have 130,000 sheep. Of them I designated 7,000 to be sheared for the clothing of orphans and widows, the poor, and the helpless. And I had a pack of 80 dogs guarding my flocks. I also had 200 other dogs guarding the house.
4And I used to have 9,000 camels; from them I chose, 3,000 to work in every city.
5After I loaded them with good things, I sent them away into the cities and villages, charging them to go and distribute to the helpless, to the destitute, and to all the
6widows. And I used to have 140,000 grazing she-asses. From these I marked off 500 and gave a standing order for their offspring to be sold and given to the poor and needy.
7From all regions people began coming to me for a meeting. The four doors of
8my house stood open. And I gave a standing order to my house servants that these doors should stand open, having this in view; Possibly, some would come asking alms, and because they might see me sitting at the door, would turn back ashamed, getting nothing. Instead, whenever they would see me sitting at one door, they could leave through another and take as much as they needed.
Chapter ten
1And I established in my house thirty tables spread at all hours, for strangers
2,3only. I also used to maintain twelve other tables set for the widows. When any stranger approached to ask alms, he was required to be fed at my table before he
4would receive his need. Neither did I allow anyone to go out of my door with an empty pocket.
5I used to have 3,500 yoke of oxen. And I chose from them 500 yoke and designated them for plowing, which they could do in any field of those who would
6,7use them. And I marked off their produce for the poor, for their table. I also used to have fifty bakeries from which I arranged for the ministry of the table for the poor.
Chapter eleven
1There were also certain strangers who saw my eagerness, and they too desired
2to assist in this service. And there were still others, at the time without resources and unable to invest a thing, who came and entreated me, saying, We beg you,
3may we also engage in this service. We own nothing, however, Show mercy on us and lend us money so we may leave for distant cities on business and be able
4to do the poor a service. And afterward we shall repay you what is yours.
5When I heard these things, I would rejoice that they would take anything at all
6from me for the care of the poor. And receiving their note eagerly, I would give
7them as much as they wished, taking no security from them except a written note.
8So they would go out at my expense.
9,10Sometimes they would succeed in business and give to the poor. But at other times, they would be robbed. And they would come and entreat me saying, We beg you, be patient with us. Let us find how we might be able to repay you.
11Without delay, I would bring before them the note and read it granting cancellation as the crowning feature and saying, Since I trusted you for the benefit of the
12poor, I will take nothing back from you. Nor would I take anything from my debtor.
Chapter twelve
1On occasion a man cheerful at heart would come to me saying, I am not wealthy enough to help the destitute. Yet I wish to serve the poor today at your
2table. When it was agreed, he would serve and eat. At evening, as he was about to leave for home, he would be compelled to take wages from me as I would say,
3I know you are a workingman counting on and looking for your wages. You
4must accept. Nor did I allow the wage earner’s pay to remain at home with me in my house.
Chapter thirteen
1Those who milked the cows grew weary, since milk flowed in the mountains.
2Butter spread over my roads, and from its abundance my herds bedded down
3in the rocks and mountains because of the births. So the mountains were washed
4over with milk and became as congealed butter. And my servants, who prepared
5the meals for the widows and the poor, grew tired and would curse me in contempt,
6saying, Who will give us some of his meat cuts to be satisfied? Nevertheless, I was quite kind.
Chapter fourteen
1,2And I used to have six psalms and a ten-stringed lyre. I would rouse myself daily after the feeding of the widows, take the lyre, and play for them. And they
3would chant hymns. And with the psaltery I would remind them of God so that
4they might glorify the Lord. If my maidservants ever began murmuring, I would
5take up the psaltery and strum as payment in return. And thus I would make them stop murmuring in contempt.
Chapter fifteen
1,2After the ministry of the service, my children daily took their supper. They
3went in to their older brother to dine with him, taking along with them their three
4sisters also. The urgent matters were left with the maidservants, since my sons also sat at table with the male slaves who served.
I therefore early would offer up sacrifices on their behalf according to their
5 number, 300 doves, 50 goat’s kids, and 12 sheep. I issued a standing order for all that remained after the rites to be furnished to the poor. And I would say to them, Take these things remaining after the rites, so that you may pray on behalf
6of my children. Possibly, my sons may have sinned before the Lord through
7boasting by saying with disdain. We are sons of this rich man, and these goods
8are ours. Why then do we also serve? For pride is an abomination before
9God. And again, I offered up a select calf on the altar of God, lest my sons may have thought evil things in their heart toward God.
Chapter sixteen
1As I was doing these things during the seven years after the angel had made
2the disclosure to me, then Satan – when he had received the authority – came
3down unmercifully and torched 7,000 sheep (which had been designated for the clothing of the widows), the 3,000 camels, and the 500 she-asses, and the 500
4yoke of oxen. All these he destroyed by himself, according to the authority he had received against me.
5,6The rest of my herds were confiscated by my fellow countrymen, who had been well treated by me, but who now rose up against me and took away the
7remainder of my animals. They reported to me the destruction of my goods, but I glorified God and did not blaspheme.
Chapter seventeen
1Then the devil, when he had come to know my heart, laid a plot against me.
2Disguising himself as the king of the Persians, he stood in my city gathering
3together all the rogues in it. And with a boast he spoke to them saying, This man Jobab is the one who destroyed all the good things of the earth and left nothing – the one who distributed to the beggar, to the blind, and to the lame –
4yet the one who destroyed the temple of the great god and leveled the place of drink offerings. Therefore, I also shall repay him according to what he did against the house of god. Coma along then and gather spoils for yourselves of all his animals and whatever he has left on the earth
5They answered him and said, He has seven sons and three daughters, Possibly they might flee to other lands and plead against us as though we were tyrants and in the end rise against us and kill us.
6So he said to them, Have no fear at all. Most of his possessions I have already destroyed by fire. The others I confiscated. And as for his children, I shall slay them.
Chapter eighteen
1When he said these things to them, he departed and smashed the house down
2upon my children and killed them. My fellow countrymen, when they saw that what was said truly happened, pursued and attacked ma and began to snatch up
3everything in my house. My eyes witnessed cheap and worthless men at my tables and couches.
4I was unable to utter a thing; for I was exhausted – as a woman numbed in her
5pelvic region by the magnitude of birth pangs – remembering most of all the battle foretold by the Lord through his angel and the songs of victory which had been told to me.
6And I became as one wishing to enter a certain city to discover its wealth and
7gain a portion of its splendor, and as one embarked with cargo in a seagoing ship. Seeing at mid – ocean the third wave and the opposition of the wind, he threw the cargo into the sea, saying, I am willing to lose everything in order to enter this
8city so that I might gain both the ship and things better than the payload. Thus I also considered my goods as nothing compared to the city about which the angel spoke to me.
Chapter nineteen
1When the final messenger came and showed me the loss of my children, I
2was deeply disturbed. And I tore my garments, saying to the one who brought
3the report, How were you spared? And then when I understood what had
4happened I cried aloud, saying, The Lord gave, the Lord took away. As it seemed good to the Lord, so it has happened. Blessed by the name of the Lord!
Chapter twenty
1So when all my goods were gone, Satan concluded that he was unable to
2provoke me to contempt. When he left he asked my body from the Lord so he
3might inflict the plague on me. Then the Lord gave me over into his hands to be used as he wished with respect to the body; but he did not give him authority over my soul
4Then he came to me while I was sitting on my throne mourning the loss of my
5children. And he became like a great whirlwind and overturned my throne. For
6three hours I was beneath my throne unable to escape. And he struck me with a severe plague from head to toe.
7,8In great trouble and distress I left the city, and I sat on a dung heap worm-ridden in body. Discharges from my body wet the ground with moisture. Many
9worms were in my body, and if a worm ever sprang off, I would take it up and return it to its original place, saying, Stay in the same place where you were put until you are directed otherwise by your commander.
Chapter twenty one
1I spent forty-eight years on the dung heap outside the city under the plague
2so that I saw with my own eyes, my children, my first wife carrying water into the house of a certain nobleman as a maidservant so she might get bread and bring
3it to me. I was stunned. And I said, The gall of these city fathers! How can they
4treat my wife like a female slave? After this I regained my senses.
Chapter twenty two
1After eleven years they kept even bread itself from me, barely allowing her
2to have her own food. And as she did get it, she would divide it between herself and me, saying with pain, Woe is me! Soon he will not even get enough bread!
3She would not hesitate to go out into the market to beg bread from the bread sellers so she might bring it to me so I could eat
Chapter twenty three
1,2When Satan knew this, he disguised himself as a bread seller. It happened by chance that my wife went to him and begged bread, thinking he was a man.
3,4And Satan said to her, Pay the price and take what you like. But she answered him and said, Where would I get money? Are you unaware of the evils that have
5befallen us? If you have any pity on me, show mercy; but if not, you shall see!
6And he answered her, saying, Unless you deserved the evils, you would not
7have received them in return. Now then if you have no money at hand, offer me the hair of your head and take three loaves of bread. Perhaps you will be able to
8live for three more days. Then she said to herself. What good is the hair of
9my head compared to my hungry husband? And so, showing disdain for her hair, she said to him, Go ahead, take it.
10Then he took scissors, sheared off the hair of her head, and gave her three
11loaves, while all were looking on. When she got the loaves, she came and brought them to me,. Satan followed her along the road, walking stealthily, and leading her heart astray.
Chapter twenty four
1At once my wife drew near, Crying out with tears she said to me, Job, Job! How long will you set on the dung heap outside the city thinking, Only a little
2longer! And awaiting the hope of your salvation? As for me, I am a vagabond and a maidservant going round from place to place. Your memorial has been wiped away from the earth – my sons and the daughters of my womb for whom I toiled
3with hardships in vain. And here you sit in worm – infested rottenness, passing
4the night in the open air. And I for my part am a wretch immersed in labor by day and in pain by night, just so I might provide a loaf of bread and bring it to
5you. Any more I barely receive my own food, and I divide that between you and
6me – wondering in my heart that it is not bad enough for you to be ill, but neither do you get your fill of bread.
7,8So I ventured unashamedly to go into the market, even if I was pierced in my heart to do so. And the bread seller said, Give money, and you shall receive.
9But I also showed him our straits and then heard from him, If you have no money, woman, pay with the hair of your head and take three loaves. Perhaps you will
10live for three more days. Being remiss, I said to him, Go ahead, cut my hair. So he arose and cut my hair disgracefully in the market, whilt the crowd stood by and marveled.
Chapter twenty five
1Who is not amazed that this is Sitis, the wife of Job?
2Who used to have fourteen draperies sheltering her chamber and a door within doors, so that one was considered quite worthy merely to gain admission to her presence;
3Now she exchanges her hair for loaves!
4Whose camels, loaded with good things, used to go off into the regions of the poor;
Now she gives her hair in return for loaves!
5Look at her who used to keep seven tables reserved at her house, at which the poor and alien used too eat;
Now she sells outright her hair for loaves!
7Observe, this is she who used to have clothing woven from linen with gold; But now she bears rags and gives her hair in exchange for loaves!
8See her who used to won couches of gold and silver: But now she sells her hair for loaves!
9Job, Job! Although many things have been said in general, I speak to you in
10brief: In the weakness of my heart, my bones are crushed. Rise, take the loaves, be satisfied. And then speak some word against the Lord and die. Then I too shall be freed from weariness that issues from the pain of your body.
Chapter twenty six
1So I answered her, Look, I have lived seventeen years in these plagues
2submitting to the worms in my body, and my soul has never been depressed by my pains so much as by your statement, Speak some word against the Lord and
3die. I do indeed suffer these things, and you suffer them too; the loss both of our children and our goods. Do you suggest that we should say something against
4the Lord, and thus be alienated from the truly great wealth? Why have you not remembered those many good things we used to have? If we have received good
5things from the hand of the Lord, should we not in turn endure evil things? Rather let us be patient till the Lord, in pity, shows us mercy.
6Do you not see the devil standing behind you and unsettling your reasoning so that he might deceive me too? For he seeks to make an exhibit of you as one of the senseless women who misguide their husbands sincerity.
Chapter twenty seven
1Again turning to Satan, who was behind my wife, I said, Come up front! Stop hiding yourself! Does a lion show his strength in a cage? Does a fledgling take flight when it is in a basket? Come out and fight!
2Then he came out from behind my wife. And as he stood, he wept, saying Look Job, I am weary and I with draw from you, even though you are flesh and
3I a spirit. You suffer a plague, but I am in deep distress. I became like one athlete wrestling another, and one pinned the other. The upper on silenced the
4lower one, by filling his mouth with sand and brusing his limbs. But because he showed endurance and did not grow weary, at the end the upper one cried out
5in defeat. So you also, Job, were the one below and in a plague, but you conquered my wrestling tactics which I brought on you.
6,7Then Satan, ashamed, left me for three years. Now then, my children, you also must be patient in everything that happens to you. For patience is better than anything.
Chapter twenty eight
1,2After I had spent twenty years under the plague, the kings also heard about what happened to me. They arose and came to me, each from his own country,
3so that they might encourage me by a visit. But as they approached from a distance, they did not recognize me. And they cried out and wept, tearing their
4garments and throwing dust. They sat beside me for seven days and nights. And
5not one of them spoke to me. It was not due to their patience that they were silent, but because they knew me before these evils when I lived in lavish wealth.
For when I used to bring out for them the precious stones, they would marvel, clapping their hands, and say, If the goods of our three kingdoms were gathered into one at the same place, they would be no equal to the glorious stones of your
6kingdom. For I was more noble than those from the east.
7But when they came to Ausitis asking in the city, Where is Jobab, the king
8of all Egypt? They said to them about me. He sits on a dung heap outside the
9city. For twenty years he has not returned to the city. Then they asked about my goods and the things which had befallen me were shown to them.
Chapter twenty nine
1When they heard that, they left the city together with the citizens. And my
2fellow citizens showed me to them, but they remonstrated, saying I was not Jobab.
3Since they were still quite in doubt, Eliphas – the king of the Temanites – turned
4tio me and said, Are you Jobab, our fellow king? And I wept, shaking my head and throwing dust on it, And I said to them, I am indeed.
Chapter thirty
1When they saw me shaking my head, they dropped to the ground in a faint.
2And their troops were disturbed at seeing their three kings collapsed on the ground
3as if dead, for three hours. Then they arose and began saying to one another,
4We do not believe that this is he! Then they sat for seven days reviewing my
5affairs, recalling my herds and goods and saying. Have we not known about the many good things sent out by him into the cities and the surrounding villages to be distributed to the poor, besides those established at his house? How then has he now fallen into such a deathly state?
Chapter thirty one
1And after seven days of such considerations, Eliphas spoke up and said to his fellow kings, Let us approach him and question him carefully to see if it is really he himself or not.
2But since they were about a half stadion distant from me because of the stench of my body, they arose and approached me with perfumes in their hands,
3while their soldiers accompanied them scattering incense around me so they would
4be able to approach me, And they spent three days furnishing the incense.
5And when they had come near me, Eliphas spoke up and said to me,
Are you Jobab, our fellow king?
Are you the one who once had vast splendor?
Are you the one who was like the sun by day in all the land?
Are you the one who was like the moon and the stars that shine at midnight?
6And I said to him, I am indeed.
7And so, after he had wept with a loud wailing, he called out a royal lament
8while both the other kings and their troops sang in response.
Chapter thirty two
1Hear then the lament of Eliphas as he celebrates for all the wealth of Job.
2Are you the one who appointed 7,000 sheep for the clothing of the poor?
Where then is the splendor of your throne?
Are you the one who appointed 3,000 camels for the transport of goods to the needy?
3Are you the one who appointed the thousand cattle for the needy to us when plowing?
Where then is the splendor of your throne?
4Are you the one who had golden couches but now sits on a dung heap?
Now where is the splendor of your throne?
5Are you the one who had a throne of precious stones, but now sits in ashes?
Now where is the splendor of your throne?
6Who opposed you when you were in the midst of your children? For you were blooming as a sprout of a fragrant fruit tree!
Now where is the splendor of your throne?
7Are you the one who established the sixty tables set for the poor?
Now where is the splendor of your throne?
8Are you the one who had the censers of the fragrant assembly, now you live amid a foul stench?
9Are you the one who had golden lamps on silver stands, but now you await the light of the moon?
Where then is the splendor of your throne?
10Are you the one who had the ointment of frankincense, but now you are in straits?
Where then is the splendor of your throne?
11Are you the one who jeered at the unjust and the sinners, but now you too have become a joke?
Now where is the splendor of your throne?
12Are you Job, the one who had vast splendor?
Now where is the splendor of your throne?
Chapter thirty three
1After Eliphas finished wailing while his fellow kings responded to him all
2in a great commotion, when the uproar died down, I said to them. Quiet! Now I will show you my throne with the splendor of its majesty, which is among the holy ones.
3My throne is in the upper world, and its splendor and majesty come from the right hand of the Father.
4The whole world shall pass away and its splendor shall fade. And those who heed it shall share in its overthrow.
5But my throne is in the holy land, and its splendor is in the world of the changeless one.
6Rivers will dry up, and the arrogance of their waves goes down into the depths of the abyss.
7But the rivers of my land, where my throne is, do not dry up nor will they disappear, but they will exist forever.
8These kings will pass away, and rulers come and go; but their splendor and boast shall be as in a mirror.
9But my kingdom is forever and ever, and its splendor and majesty are in the chariots of the Father.
Chapter thirty four
1,2As I was saying these things to them so they would be quiet, Eliphas became enraged and said to the other friends, What good has it done that we have come
3here with our armies to comfort him? Look, now he accuses us! Let us then go
4back to our own countries. Here he sits in the misery of worms and foul odors; and yet he is piqued at us. Kingdoms pass away and so do their sovereigns. But
5as for my kingdom, he says, it shall last forever. So Eliphas, arising with great consternation, turned away from them in deep sadness and said. I am leaving; We came to cheer him, and yet he demeans us in the presence of our troops.
Chapter thirty five
1Then Baldad seized him and said, One should not speak that way to a man
2who not only is in mourning but also is beset by many plagues. Take note: Although we are quite healthy, we were not strong enough to approach him because
3of the foul stench, except by the use of much perfume. You there, Eliphas, do
4you forget how you were when you fell ill for two days? Now then, let us be patient in order that we may discover his true condition. Perhaps he is emotionally disturbed. Perhaps he recalls his former prosperity and has become mentally
5deranged. For who would not be driven senseless and imbalanced when he is
6sick? But allow me to approach him, and I will determine his condition.
Chapter thirty six
1Then Baldad, when he had arisen, approached me and said, Are you Job? And I said to him, Yes.
2And he said, Is your heart untroubled?
3And I said to him, My heard is not fixed on earthly concerns, since the earth and those who dwell in it are unstable. But my heart is fixed on heavenly concerns, for these is no upset in heaven.
4And Baldad replied and said, We know the earth is unstable, since of course it changes from time to time. Sometimes it steers an even course and is at peace;
5there are also times of war. But as for heaven, we hear that it stays calm. But
6if you are truly sound of mind, I will ask you about something. And if you answer me sensibly regarding the first query, I will ask you about a second matter. And if you answer me calmly, it will be clear that you are not emotionally disturbed.
Chapter thirty seven
1So he said, I whom do you hope?
2And I said, In the God who lives.
3And again he said to me, Who destroyed your goods or inflicted you with these plagues?
4And I said, God.
5And again he replied and said. Do you hope upon God? Then how do you reckon him to be unfair by inflicting you with all these plagues or destroying your
6goods? If he were to give and then take away, it would actually be better for him not to have given anything. At no time does a king dishonor his own soldier who bears arms well for him. O who will ever understand the deep things of the Lord
7and his wisdom? Who dares to ascribe to the Lord an injustice? Answer me this, Job.
8And again I say to you, if you are sound of mind and have your wits about you, tell me why we see the sun on the one hand rising in the east and setting in the west, and again when we get up early we find it rising again in the east? Explain these things to me if you are the servant of God.
Chapter thirty eight
1And to all this I said, I do have my wits about me, and my mind is sound. Why then should I not speak out the magnificent things of the Lord? Or should
2my mouth utterly blunder regarding the Master? Never! Who are we to be busying ourselves with heavenly matters, seeing that we are fleshly, having our lot in dust and ashes?
3Now then, so you may know that my heart is sound, here is my question for you; Food enters the mouth, then water is drunk through the same mouth and sent into the same throat. But whenever the two reach the latrine, they are separated from each other. Who divides them?
4And Baldad said, I do not know.
5Again I replied and said to him, If you do not understand the functions of the body, how can you understand heavenly matters?
6Then Sophar replied and said, We are not inquiting after things beyond us, but we have sought to know if you are of sound mind. And now we truly know
7that your intelligence has been unaffected. What then do you wish us to do for you? Look, since we are traveling we have brought along with us the physicians of our three kingdoms, Do you wish to be treated by them? Perhaps you will find relief.
8But I answered and said, My healing and my treatment are from the Lord, who also created the physicians.
Chapter thirty nine
1While I was saying these things to them, my wife Sitis arrived in tattered
2garments, fleeing from the servitude of the official she served, since he had
3forbidden her to leave lest the fellow kings see her and seize her. When she came,
4sht threw herself at their feet and said weeping, Do you remember me, Eliphas – you and your two friends – what sort of person I used to be among you and how
5I used to dress? But now look at my debut and my attire!
6Then, when they had made a great lamentation and were doubly exhausted,
7they fell silent so that Eliphas seized his purple robe, tore it off, and threw it about my wife.
8But she began to beg them, saying, I plead with you, order your soldiers to dig through the ruins of the house that fell on my children so that at least their
9bones might be preserved as a memorial since we cannot because of the expense.
10Let us see them, even if it is only their bones. Have I the womb of cattle or of a wild animal that my ten children have died and I have not arranged the burial of a single one of the?
11And they left to dig, but I forbade it, saying, Do not trouble yourselves in
12vain. For you will not find my children, since they were taken up into heaven by the Creator their King
13Then again they answered me and said, Who then will not say you are demented and mad when you say, My children have been taken up into heaven! Tell us the truth now!
Chapter forty
1And I replied to them and said, Lift me up so I can stand erect. And they
2lifted me up, supporting my arms on each side. And then when I had stood up,
3I sand praises to the Father. And after the prayer I said to them, Look up with your eyes to the east, and see my children crowned with the splendor of the heavenly one.
4And when she saw that, Sitis my wife fell to the ground worshiping and said, Now I know that I have a memorial with the Lord. So I shall arise and return to the city and nap awhile and then refresh myself before the duties of my
5servitude. And when she left for the city she went to the cow shed of her oxen,
6which had been confiscated by the rulers whom she served. And she lay down near a certain manger and died in good spirits.
7,8When her domineering ruler sought her but could not find her, he went when
9it was evening into the folds of the herds and found her sprawled out dead. And all who saw cried out in an uproar of lament over her, and the sound reached
10through the whole city. When they rushed in to discover what had happened,
11they found her dead and the living animals standing about weeping over her,
12And so bearing her in procession, they attended to her burial, locating her near
13the house that had collapsed on her children. And the poor of the city made a great lamentation, saying, Look! This is Sitis, the woman of pride and splendor! She was not even considered worthy of a decent burial!
14So then you will find in The Miscellanies the lament made for her.
Chapter forty one
1Eliphas and the rest sat beside me after these things arguing and talking big
2against me, After twenty-seven days, they were about to arise and go to their
3own countries, when they were implored by Elihu, saying, Stay here till I clarify this issue for him. You held on quite some time while Job boasted himself to be
4a just man. But I will not hold on. From the start I too made lamentation for him remembering his former prosperity. And here now he speaks out in boastful
5grandeur, saying he has his throne in heaven. Listen to me now, and I will tell you about his imaginary estate. Then Elihu, inspired by Satan, spoke out against
6me insulting words, which are written down in The Miscellanies of Eliphas.
Chapter forty two
1After Elihu ended his arrogant speech, the Lord – having appeared plainly to
2me through a hurricane and clouds – spoke and censured Elihu, showing me
3that the one who spoke in him was not a human but a beast. And when the Lord spoke to me through the cloud, the four kings also heard the voice of him who spoke.
4,5After the Lord finished speaking to me, he said to Eliphas, You there, Eliphas – you and your two friends – why did you sin? You have not spoken truly
6regarding my servant Job. Arise and have him offer up sacrifices on your behalf so your sin might be taken away. Except for him, I would have destroyed you.
7,8So they brought me the things for sacrifice. And I took them and made an offering on their behalf, and the Lord received it favorably and forgave their sin.
Chapter forty three
1Then when Eliphas, Baldad, and Sophar knew that the Lord had showed them
2favor regarding their sin – but had not considered Elihu worthy – Eliphas replied
3and spoke up with a hymn while the other friends and their troops sang to him
4in response near the altar. Eliphas spoke in this manner.
Our sins were stripped off, and our lawlessness buried.
5Elihu, Elihu – the only evil one – will have not memorial among the living.
His quenched lamp lost its luster,
6and the splendor of his lantern will flee from him into condemnation,
For this one is the one of darkness and not of light.
7His kingdom is gone, his throne is rotted.
And the honor of his tent lies in Hades.
8He loved the beauty of the snake and the scales of the dragon.
Its venom and poison shall be his food.
9He did not take to himself the Lord, nor did he fear him.
But even his honored ones he provoked to anger.
10The Lord has forgotten him, and the holy one abandoned him.
11But wrath and anger shall be his tent.
He has no hope in his heart, nor peace in his body.
12He had the poison of asps in his tongue.
13Righteous is the Lord, true are his judgments.
With him there is no favoritism, He will judge us all together.
14Behold the Lord has come! Behold his holy ones are prepared, while crowns lead the way with praises.
15Let the holy ones rejoice, let them leap for joy in their hearts,
16for they have received the splendor they awaited.
17Gone is our sin, cleansed is our lawlessness.
And the evil one Elihu has no memorial among the living.
Chapter forty four
1After Eliphas ended the hymn, while all were singing in response to him and encircling the altar, we arose and entered the city where we now make our home.
2And we held great festivities in the delight of the Lord. Once again I sought to do good works for the poor.
3And all my friends and those who had known me as a benefactor came to me.
4And they queried me, saying, What do you ask of us now? And remembering the poor again to do them good, I asked them, saying, Let each one give me a
5lamb for the clothing of the poor who are naked. So then every single one brought a lamb and a gold coin. And the Lord blessed all the goods I owned, and he doubled my estate.
Chapter forty five
1And now, my children, behold I am dying. Above all, do not forget the Lord.
2,3Do good to the poor. Do not overlook the helpless. Do not take to yourselves
4wives from strangers. Look, my children, I am dividing among you everything that is mine, so each one may have unrestricted control over his own share.
Chapter forty six
1And they brought forth the estate for distribution among the seven males only.
2For he did not present any of the goods to the females. They were grieved and said to their father, Our father, sir, are we not also your children? Why then did you not give us some of your goods?
3But Job said to the females, Do not be troubled, my daughters; I have not
4forgotten you. I have already designated for you an inheritance better than that of your seven brothers.
5Then when he had called his daughter who was named Hemera he said to her, Take the signet ring, go to the vault and bring the three golden boxes, so that
6I may give you your inheritance. So she left and brought them back.
7And he opened them and brought out three multicolored cords whose appearance
8was such that no man could describe, since they were not from earth but from
9heaven, shimmering with fiery sparks like the rays of the sun. And he gave each one a cord, saying, Place these about your breast, so it may go well with you all the days of your life.
Chapter forty seven
1Then the other daughter, named Kasia, said to him, Father, is this the inheritance which you said was better than that of our brothers? Who has any use for these unusual cords? We cannot gain a living from them, can we?
2And their father said to them, Not only shall you gain a living from these.
3,4but these cords will lead you into the better world, to live in the heavens. Are you then ignorant, my children, of the value of these strings? The Lord considered me worthy of these in the day in which he wished to show me mercy and to rid my body of the plagues and the worms,
5Calling me, he furnished me with these three cords, and said, Arise, gird your loins like a man, I shall question you, and you answer me.
6So I took them and put them on, And immediately from that time the worms
7disappeared from my body and the plagues, too. And then my body got strength
8through the Lord as if I actually had not suffered a thing. I also forgot the pains
9in my heart. And the Lord spoke to me in power, showing me things present and things to come.
10Now then, my children, since you have these objects you will not have to face
11the enemy at all, but neither will you have worries of him in your mind, since it is a protective amulet of the Father. Rise then, gird yourselves with them before I die in order that you may be able to see those who are coming for my soul, in order that you may marvel over the creatures of God.
Chapter forty eight
1Thus, when the one called Hemera arose, she wrapped around her own string
2just as her father said, And she took on another heart – no longer minded toward
3earthly things – but she spoke ecstatically in the angelic dialect, sending up a hymn to God in accord with the hymnic style of the angels. And as she spoke ecstatically, she allowed The Spirit to be inscribed on her garment.
Chapter forty nine
1Then Kasia bound hers on and had her heart changed so that she no longer
2regarded worldly things. And her mouth took on the dialect of the archons and
3she praised God for the creation of the heights. So, if anyone wishes to know The Creation of the Heavens, he will be able to find it in The Hymns of Kasia.
Chapter fifty
1Then the other one also, named Amaltheis’s Horn, bound on her cord. And
2her mouth spoke ecstatically in the dialect of those on high, since her heart also was changed, keeping aloof from worldly things, For she spoke in the dialect of the
3cherubim, glorifying the Master of virtues by exhibiting their splendor. And finally whoever wishes to grasp a trace of The Paternal Splendor will find it written down in The Prayers of Amaltheis’s Horn.
Chapter fifty one
1,2After the three had stopped singing hymns, while the Lord was present as was I, Nereus, the brother of Job, and while the holy angel also was present,
3I sat near Job on the couch. And I heard the magnificent things, while each one
4made explanation to the other. And I wrote out a complete book of most of the contents of hymns that issued from the three daughters of my brother, so that these things would be preserved. For these are the magnificent things of God.
Chapter fifty two
1After three days, as Job fell ill on his bed (without suffering or pain, however, since suffering could no longer touch him on account of the omen of the sash he
2,3 wore), after those three days he saw those who had come for his soul. And rising
4immediately he took a lyre and gave it to his daughter Hemera. To Kasia he gave
5a censer, and to Amalthia’s Horn he gave a kettle drum, so that they might
6bless those who had come for his soul. And when they took them, they saw the
7gleaming chariots which had come for his soul. And they blessed and glorified God each one in her own distinctive dialect.
8After these things the one who sat in the great chariot got off and greeted Job
9as the three daughters and their father himself looked on, though certain others
10did not see. And taking the soul he flew up, embracing it, and mounted the chariot
11and set off for the east. But his body, prepared for burial, was borne to the tomb
12as his three daughters went ahead girded about and singing hymns to God.
Chapter fifty three
1And I Nereus, his brother, with the seven male children accompanied by the
2poor and the orphans and all the helpless, we were weeping and saying;
Woe to us today! A double woe!
Gone today is the strength of the helpless!
3Gone is the light of the blind!
Gone is the father of the orphans!
Gone is the host of strangers!
Gone is the clothing of widows!
4Who then will not weep over the man of God?
5And as soon as they brought the body to the tomb, all the widows and orphans
6,7circled about forbidding it to be brought into the tomb. But after three days they
8laid him in the tomb in a beautiful sleep, since he received a name renowned in all generations forever. AMEN.