Aramaic Targum to Job
- 1.1
A man there was in the land of Uz and Job was his name, and this man was pure and upright, reverent before the LORD and fleeing from evil.
- 1.2
And born to him were seven sons and three daughters.
- 1.3
And his flock was seven thousand sheep — one thousand for each son —and three thousand camels — one thousand for each daughter — and five hundred yoked-pairs of oxen for himself and five hundred jennies for his wife and very much work, and the man was greater in possessions than all the easterners.
- 1.4
And his sons would go and make a banquet, each man's house on his day until they finished all seven days and they would send for and invite their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
- 1.5
And when their banquet-days were complete, Job would send for and invite them and rise in the morning and offer up the number of them all, for Job would say "Perhaps my sons have sinned and provoked anger before the LORD in their thoughts!" Thus would Job do all days.
- 1.6
And it was on the day of judgment, on the New Year, and the factions of the angels came to stand in judgment before the LORD, and so too did the Adversary come amid them.
- 1.7
And the LORD said to the Adversary, "From where have you come?" And the Adversary responded before the LORD: "From going about the earth to investigate the deeds of mortals and from walking upon it."
- 1.8
And the LORD said to the Adversary: "Has your heart considered My servant Job? For none is like him on earth among the gentiles — a man pure and upright, reverent before the LORD and fleeing from evil!"
- 1.9
And the Adversary responded before the LORD: "Could it be baseless for Job to be reverent before the LORD?
- 1.10
Is it not Your Word that has sheltered on his account and on his house's account and on the account of all that is his around him? The works of his hands You have blessed, and his flock is strong in the land!
- 1.11
But stretch out, pray, the plague of Your hand, and strike all that is his — wouldn't he provoke anger before Your word's face!?"
- 1.12
And the LORD said to the Adversary, "Behold, all that is his is given over in your hand, but to him do not stretch out your hand." And the Adversary went out with permission from before the LORD.
- 1.13
And it was at the beginning day of the week and his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother.
- 1.14
And a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the jennies were grazing by their side,
- 1.15
and suddenly, Lilith, the Emerald Queen, descended and led them off, and her troops killed the lads by the sword, and I alone remained to inform you!"
- 1.16
This one spoke, and another one came, and said, "Fire from before the LORD descended from heaven and kindled the sheep and the lads and finished them off, and I alone remained to inform you!"
- 1.17
This one spoke, and another one came, and said, "Chaldeans appointed three chiefs of troops and stripped the camels and led them off, and killed the lads by the sword, and I alone remained to inform you!"
- 1.18
This one spoke, and another one came, and said, "Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house,
- 1.19
and a great wind came from by the desert, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the lads and they died, and I alone remained to inform you!"
- 1.20
And Job stood and tore his cloak and cut his hair and fell on the ground prostrate.
- 1.21
And he said, "Naked did I descend from my mother's womb, and naked will I return to the grave. The word of the LORD has given, and the word of the LORD and His court has taken away; may the name of the LORD be blessed.
- 1.22
And with all this, Job did not sin, nor did he arrange his words sinfully before the LORD.
Sefaria Community Translation. Via Sefaria (sefaria.org), Sefaria-Export. Version source: https://www.sefaria.org Licence: CC0. Source.