Job and His Family
1 Many years ago, a man named Job lived in the land of Uz. He was a truly good person, who respected God and refused to do evil.
2 Job had 7 sons and 3 daughters. 3 He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 pair of oxen, 500 donkeys, and a large number of servants. He was the richest person in the East.
4 Job's sons took turns having feasts in their homes, and they always invited their three sisters to join in the eating and drinking. 5 After each feast, Job would send for his children and perform a ceremony, as a way of asking God to forgive them of any wrongs they may have done. He would get up early the next morning and offer a sacrifice for each of them, just in case they had sinned or silently cursed God.
Angels, the Lord, and Satan
6 One day, when the angels had gathered around the Lord, and Satan was there with them, 7 the Lord asked, “Satan, where have you been?”
Satan replied, “I have been going all over the earth.”
8 Then the Lord asked, “What do you think of my servant Job? No one on earth is like him—he is a truly good person, who respects me and refuses to do evil.”
9 “Why shouldn't he respect you?” Satan remarked. 10 “You are like a wall protecting not only him, but his entire family and all his property. You make him successful in whatever he does, and his flocks and herds are everywhere. 11 Try taking away everything he owns, and he will curse you to your face.”
12 The Lord replied, “All right, Satan, do what you want with anything that belongs to him, but don't harm Job.”
Then Satan left.
Job Loses Everything
13 Job's sons and daughters were having a feast in the home of his oldest son, 14 when someone rushed up to Job and said, “While your servants were plowing with your oxen, and your donkeys were nearby eating grass, 15 a gang of Sabeans attacked and stole the oxen and donkeys! Your other servants were killed, and I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
16 That servant was still speaking, when a second one came running and said, “God sent down a fire that killed your sheep and your servants. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
17 Before that servant finished speaking, a third one raced up and said, “Three gangs of Chaldeans attacked and stole your camels! All of your other servants were killed, and I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
18 That servant was still speaking, when a fourth one dashed up and said, “Your children were having a feast and drinking wine at the home of your oldest son, 19 when suddenly a windstorm from the desert blew the house down, crushing all of your children. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.”
20 When Job heard this, he tore his clothes and shaved his head because of his great sorrow. He knelt on the ground, then worshiped God 21 and said:
“We bring nothing at birth;
we take nothing
with us at death.
The Lord alone gives and takes.
Praise the name of the Lord!”
22 In spite of everything, Job did not sin or accuse God of doing wrong.
Satani unolika Jobe
1 Kwakati kukabe ne nlume mu shango ye Uzi, zina lile kuyi Jobe, wakabe ali nthu usina nlandu, wakatambunuka, unotja Ndzimu kakale unoleya mbipo. 2 Jobe wakabe ana bakololo bali kutendeka ne bakololokadzi bali batatu, 3 wakabe ana pkhwizi dzili zwiwulu zwili kutendeka (7 000) ne kamela dzili zwiwulu zwili zwitatu (3 000) ne majokwi e ng'ombe ali mazana mashanu (500) ne madonki makadzi ali mazana mashanu (500) ne balanda bali banjinji kwazo. Ndizo wakabe ali nthu wakafuma kwazo mu bathu bose baku bhezhuba.
4 Bakololo ba Jobe bakabe begala belabana kuthama nzano mu misha yabo, ngono bakabe bekoka hazwadzi dzabo kuti bawoja ne kung'wa nabo. 5 Kwakabe kuti mazhuba e nzano awila Jobe wakabe etumila bathu kuti bana babe badang'we kuti abatjenapadze, wakabe ebinduka mangwanana edusila mmwe ne mmwe wabo tjibhayilo tjinopisiwa ngobe wakabe ekumbula kuti bangadwa bakathama tjibi kakale bakatuka Ndzimu mu mimoyo yabo. Jobe wakabe ethama sa ikoku zwibaka zose.
6 Ngono kwakati limwe zhuba bakololo be Ndzimu bakazha kuwozwilakidza mbeli kwa Yahwe, Satani kazhabo nabo. 7 Yahwe bakabhuzwa Satani beti, “Unodwa ngayi?” Satani kadabila Yahwe eti, “Ndodwa kuyendayenda mu shango ne kupotelekapoteleka muili.”
8 Ngono Yahwe bakabhuzwa Satani beti, “Apa wabe ne hanya ngekwe nlanda wangu Jobe kene? Akuna nthu unonga iye mu shango, nthu usina nlandu, wakatambunuka kakale unotja Ndzimu kakale unoleya mbipo.”
9 Ipapo Satani kadabila eti, “Apa moti Jobe unomutjila suli kene? 10 Apa amuzombakilila nge bhakasa iye nebe nsha uwe nenge tjimwe ne tjimwe tjaanatjo kene? Makakombolela tjimwe ne tjimwe tjaakashinga nge maboko awe kakale makampa zwithuwo zwinjinji zwizhele shango. 11 Koga tambunudzani luboko gwenyu mubulaye tjimwe ne tjimwe tjaanatjo, unowomutuka patjena!”
12 Ngono Yahwe bakati kuna Satani, “Kwakalulwama, tjimwe ne tjimwe tjaanatjo ndotjilonga mu luboko gugo koga iye nge kukwe usitongobuya ukankutha nge tjinyala tjitjo!” Ndizo Satani kadwa mbeli kwa Yahwe kayenda.
Kolomogwa kwe thundu ya Jobe
13 Kwakati limwe zhuba bakololo ne bakololokadzi ba Jobe bakabe bali mu nzano beja beng'wa nkumbi we zhambi ku nsha we hwola yabo, 14 kukazha ntumwa kuna Jobe kabe eti, “Ng'ombe dzabe dzilima ngono madonki efula tjapejo, 15 ngono bathu be Sheba bazha bakadzinginilila bakadzitakula bakayenda nadzo. Babulaya balanda bose nge thumo. Ndimi ndonga ndasiya kuwomuzibisa!”
16 Ntumwa wakati asathu awidza matama awe mmwe ntumwa kazha kati, “Moto we Ndzimu waloba pkhwizi ne balisi bose. Ndimi ndoga ndapudzumuka kuzha ndiwomuzibisa.”
17 Ntumwa wakati atjalebeleka mmwe ntumwa kazha eti, “Bakhaladiya bazha bakazwibumba makupo matatu bakanginilila dzikamela bakadzitola bakayenda nadzo. Babulaya balanda bose nge thumo ndimi ndoga ndasala kuwomuzibisa!”
18 Nlanda wakati atjalebeleka mmwe nlanda kazha eti, “Bakololo ne bakololokadzi benyu babe beja beng'wa nkumbi we zhambi bali ku nsha we hwola yabo, 19 tjinyolotjo kukazha dutu lidwa ku tjilambanyika likavuna phanda nna dze ng'umba, ngono ng'umba ikabawila ngono bafa bose, ndimi ndoga ndasala kuwomuzibisa.”
20 Ipapo Jobe kamilika kapalula zwiambalo zwizwe, katesela nsholo uwe, kawila pasi kanamata. 21 Ngono kati, “Ndakazwagwa ndili mbujo, ndowobgwilila ndili mbujo, Yahwe bakapa, Yahwe batola. Ngakukudziwe zina la Yahwe!”
22 Muna ikoku kose Jobe ha aazotjinya kene kuli kutendeka Ndzimu nge tjinyala.