of bread. And my wife came and begged of him, supposing him to be a
man; and Satan said, "Pay the price, and take what you will." But she
answered, "Whence should I have money? Have you not heard of all that
has befallen us? If you will show mercy, show mercy; and if not, it
is your own concern." He said, "If you had not deserved misfortune,
I suppose it would not have come upon you; but now, if you have no
money, give me the hair of your head, and take three loaves in
exchange: it may be that you can live on them for three days." And
she thought within herself, "What is the hair of my head to me in
comparison with the hunger of my husband?" And she said to Satan,
"Come, take it." And he took a pair of shears and cut off her hair,
and then gave her three loaves, in the sight of all who were in the
market-place. She took the bread and came to bring it to me, and
Satan followed after her invisibly, and made her soul heavy within
her. So, as she drew near to me she lifted up her voice and cried
aloud, "Job, Job, how long wilt thou sit upon the dunghill waiting
and expecting thy deliverance, while I wander about from house to
house and labour as a slave? Behold, my sons and my daughters, whom
I brought up with labour and pain, are perished and gone, and thou
sittest under the open heaven filled with corruption, and I have to
work day and night to get bread to keep thy soul in thy body. Lo, now
have I sold the hair of my head for bread. Who would believe that I
am Sitis, the wife of Job, who was clothed in fine linen woven with
gold, that washed her feet in basins of silver and gold, that lay
softly and was nurtured in plenty; but now I go barefoot, in rags,
and sell my hair for bread. One thing only remains, for my bones are
broken with very weariness of spirit. Arise and eat this bread, and
satisfy thy hunger, and then speak a word against the Lord, and die;
and I shall be freed from my misery and labour, and have rest."