Job - New Edition

Hachette Antoine, under the Naufal imprint, is proud to present the towering works of Mikhail Naimy, one of the most prominent contemporary Arab writers and a leading figure among Lebanese diaspora writers. His writing is distinguished by its attempts to purify Arabic literature of embellishment and superfluous language, striving instead for a more realistic portrayal of things and events. His style is characterized by simplicity, clarity, and frankness, and by its avoidance of excessive expression, particularly in description, narration, and imagery. His language sometimes borders on colloquial Arabic, which further draws readers from all walks of life to his books. Naimy draws upon the story of Job in the Torah as a springboard for his intellectual explorations of suffering. He famously wrote in one of his collections of proverbs, "Your enemy is a friend disguised as an enemy."
How can pain, which incites humanity's enemies, become a friend in disguise? This is a question Naimy chose to answer not through analysis, instruction, or proof, but through representation, embodiment, and actual manifestation on a stage. Hence this four-act play. Here, Naimy doesn't simply revisit the biblical story of Job, one of the greatest sufferers in human history, but rather takes it a step further, to where traditional viewpoints suggest that pain offers no escape from all suffering. This is what concerns us: we understand pain because it transforms within us—like the pains of childbirth—into a harbinger of rebirth. This collection of essays and short stories, written in his distinctive style and with his luminous, contemplative spirit, addresses existential and social human issues in relation to the self and life. It is presented within a framework of insightful thought, profound reflection, a distinctive language, and a unique and engaging style, making him a pioneer of thought and a globally influential figure.