One day when his children were feasting in the house of their elder brother, there came a messenger to Job, and said: The oxen were plowing, and the asses were feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants, I only am escaped. While he was yet speaking, there came another and said: Fire is fallen from heaven and has burned up the sheep and the shepherds, and I only escaped. While he was yet speaking, came a third and said: The Chaldeans fell upon the camels, and have taken them away, yea, and have slain the young men with the edge of the sword. I only am escaped to tell thee. While he yet spoke, came a fourth and said: Thy sons and daughters were eating and drinking in their oldest brother’s house, and behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the house, and it fell upon thy children, and they are dead, I only am escaped. Then Job rent his robe, but worshiped God, and said: Naked came I from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord! Job’s whole body now became covered with boils, and he took a potsherd to scrape himself, and he sat in the ashes. His wife asked: Dost thou still believe in God? Job answered: Thou speakest as one of the foolish women. Shall we receive good at the hands of God, and shall we not receive evil? Three of Job’s friends, hearing of his misfortunes, came to console him. But they knew him not, and they sat with him seven days and seven nights, and none spake to him, for they saw that his grief was very great. When they began to speak their words were harsh, for they thought that he must be a greater sinner than other men, since God sent greater afflictions upon him than on others. Then Job sinned; for he boasted of his perfection and disputed God’s righteousness. Then the Lord spoke to Job out of a storm and said: Who art thou, that durst dispute with God? And Job answered: I have uttered that which I understood not. And God forgave him, and reproved his three friends because they had judged Job harshly. God blessed Job; he was healed again, and got twice as much riches as before; he got again seven sons and three daughters, and lived a hundred and forty years after and died old and full of days. (Book of Job.) 50. The Books of the Old Testament