Job 33
1 “But now, O Job, hear my speech, and listen to all my words.
And now, O Job, give ear to my words, and take note of all I say.
2 Behold, I will open my mouth; my address is on the tip of my tongue.
See, now my mouth is open, my tongue gives out words.
3 My words are from an upright heart, and my lips speak sincerely what I know.
My heart is overflowing with knowledge, my lips say what is true.
4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
The spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Ruler of all gives me life.
5 Refute me if you can; prepare your case and confront me.
If you are able, give me an answer; put your cause in order, and come forward.
6 I am just like you before God; I was also formed from clay.
See, I am the same as you are in the eyes of God; I was cut off from the same bit of wet earth.
7 Surely no fear of me should terrify you; nor will my hand be heavy upon you.
Fear of me will not overcome you, and my hand will not be hard on you.
8 Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard these very words:
But you said in my hearing, and your voice came to my ears:
9 ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, with no iniquity in me.
I am clean, without sin; I am washed, and there is no evil in me:
10 Yet God finds occasions against me; He counts me as His enemy.
See, he is looking for something against me; in his eyes I am as one of his haters;
11 He puts my feet in the stocks; He watches over all my paths.’
He puts chains on my feet; he is watching all my ways.
12 Behold, you are not right in this matter. I will answer you, for God is greater than man.
Truly, in saying this you are wrong; for God is greater than man.
13 Why do you complain to Him that He answers nothing a man asks?
Why do you put forward your cause against him, saying, He gives no answer to any of my words?
14 For God speaks in one way and in another, yet no one notices.
For God gives his word in one way, even in two, and man is not conscious of it:
15 In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds,
In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep comes on men, while they take their rest on their beds;
16 He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings
Then he makes his secrets clear to men, so that they are full of fear at what they see;
17 to turn a man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride,
In order that man may be turned from his evil works, and that pride may be taken away from him;
18 to preserve his soul from the Pit and his life from perishing by the sword.
To keep back his soul from the underworld, and his life from destruction.
19 A man is also chastened on his bed with pain and constant distress in his bones,
Pain is sent on him as a punishment, while he is on his bed; there is no end to the trouble in his bones;
20 so that he detests his bread, and his soul loathes his favorite food.
He has no desire for food, and his soul is turned away from delicate meat;
21 His flesh wastes away from sight, and his hidden bones protrude.
His flesh is so wasted away, that it may not be seen, and his bones. ...
22 He draws near to the Pit, and his life to the messengers of death.
And his soul comes near to the underworld, and his life to the angels of death.
23 Yet if there is a messenger on his side, one mediator in a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him,
If now there may be an angel sent to him, one of the thousands which there are to be between him and God, and to make clear to man what is right for him;
24 to be gracious to him and say, ‘Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found his ransom,’
And if he has mercy on him, and says, Let him not go down to the underworld, I have given the price for his life:
25 then his flesh is refreshed like a child’s; he returns to the days of his youth.
Then his flesh becomes young again, and he comes back to the days of his early strength;
26 He prays to God and finds favor; he sees God’s face and shouts for joy, and God restores His righteousness to that man.
He makes his prayer to God, and he has mercy on him; he sees God's face with cries of joy; he gives news of his righteousness to men;
27 Then he sings before men with these words: ‘I have sinned and perverted what was right; yet I did not get what I deserved.
He makes a song, saying, I did wrong, turning from the straight way, but he did not give me the reward of my sin.
28 He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit, and I will live to see the light.’
He kept my soul from the underworld, and my life sees the light in full measure.
29 Behold, all these things God does to a man, two or even three times,
Truly, God does all these things to man, twice and three times,
30 to bring back his soul from the Pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
Keeping back his soul from the underworld, so that he may see the light of life.
31 Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.
Take note O Job, give ear to me; keep quiet, while I say what is in my mind.
32 But if you have something to say, answer me; speak up, for I would like to vindicate you.
If you have anything to say, give me an answer; for it is my desire that you may be judged free from sin.
33 But if not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.”
If not, give attention to me, and keep quiet, and I will give you wisdom.
