Testament of Job

Kohler1897 English translation, printed page 323

Testament of Job. 393 of a bread-seller, and it was as if by chatice that my wife met him and asked him for bread thinking that it was that sort of man. 17. But Satan said to her: “Give me the value, and then take what thou wishest”. 18. Whereupon she answered saying: “Where shall I get money? Dost thou not know what misfortune happened to me. If thou hast pity, show it to me; if not, thou shalt 866. 1) 19. And he replied saying: “If you did not deserve this misfortune, you would not have suffered all this. 20. Now, if there is no silver piece in thine hand, give me the hair of thine head and take three loaves of bread for it, so that ye may live on these for three days”. 21. Then said she to herself: “What is the hair of my head in comparison with my starving husband?” 22. And so after having pondered over the matter, she said to him: “Rise and cut off my hair’. 23. Then he took a pair of scissors and took off the hair of her head in the presence of all, and gave her three loaves of bread. 24. Then she took them and brought them to me. And Satan went behind her on the road, hiding himself as he walked and troubling her heart greatly. Chapter VI. 1. And immediately my wife came near me, and crying aloud and weeping she said: “Job! Job! how long wilt thou sit upon the dung-hill outside of the city, pondering yet for a while and expecting to obtain your hoped-for salvation!” 2. And I have been wandering from place to place, roaming about as a hired servant, behold thy memory has already died away from earth. 3. And my sons and the daughters that I carried on my bosom and the labors and pains that I sustained have been for nothing? 4. And thou sittest in the malodorous state of soreness and worms, passing the nights in the cold air. 5, And I have undergone all trials and troubles and pains, day and night until I succeeded in bringing bread to thee. 6. For you surplus of bread is no longer allowed to me; and as I can scarcely take my *) Supply: God’s punishment, *) All this is taken from LXX to Job II, 9, or vice versa! 21%