Job 33
1 “But now, O Job, hear my speech, and listen to all my words.
Hear therefore, O Job, my speeches, and hearken to all my words.
2 Behold, I will open my mouth; my address is on the tip of my tongue.
Behold now I have opened my mouth, let my tongue speak within my jaws.
3 My words are from an upright heart, and my lips speak sincerely what I know.
My words are from my upright heart, and my lips shall speak a pure sentence.
4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
The spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gave me life.
5 Refute me if you can; prepare your case and confront me.
If thou canst, answer me, and stand up against my face.
6 I am just like you before God; I was also formed from clay.
Behold God hath made me as well as thee, and of the same clay I also was formed.
7 Surely no fear of me should terrify you; nor will my hand be heavy upon you.
But yet let not my wonder terrify thee, and let not my eloquence be burdensome to thee.
8 Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard these very words:
Now thou has said in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words:
9 ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, with no iniquity in me.
I am clean, and without sin: I am unspotted, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Yet God finds occasions against me; He counts me as His enemy.
Because he hath found complaints against me, therefore he hath counted me for his enemy.
11 He puts my feet in the stocks; He watches over all my paths.’
He hath put my feet in the stocks, he hath observed all my paths.
12 Behold, you are not right in this matter. I will answer you, for God is greater than man.
Now this is the thing in which thou art not justified: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.
13 Why do you complain to Him that He answers nothing a man asks?
Dost thou strive against him, because he hath not answered thee to all words?
14 For God speaks in one way and in another, yet no one notices.
God speaketh once, and repeateth not the selfsame thing the second time.
15 In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds,
By a dream in a vision by night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, and they are sleeping in their beds:
16 He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings
Then he openeth the ears of men, and teaching instructeth them in what they are to learn.
17 to turn a man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride,
That he may withdraw a man from the things he is doing, and may deliver him from pride.
18 to preserve his soul from the Pit and his life from perishing by the sword.
Rescuing his soul from corruption: and his life from passing to the sword.
19 A man is also chastened on his bed with pain and constant distress in his bones,
He rebuketh also by sorrow in the bed, and he maketh all his bones to wither.
20 so that he detests his bread, and his soul loathes his favorite food.
Bread becometh abominable to him in his life, and to his soul the meat which before he desired.
21 His flesh wastes away from sight, and his hidden bones protrude.
His flesh shall be consumed away, and his bones that were covered shall be made bare.
22 He draws near to the Pit, and his life to the messengers of death.
His soul hath drawn near to corruption, and his life to the destroyers.
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 there shall be an angel speaking for him, one among thousands, to declare man’s uprightness,
24 to be gracious to him and say, ‘Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found his ransom,’
He shall have mercy on him, and shall say: Deliver him, that he may not go down to corruption: I have found wherein I may be merciful to him.
25 then his flesh is refreshed like a child’s; he returns to the days of his youth.
His flesh is consumed with punishment, let him return to the days of his youth.
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 shall pray to God, and he will be gracious to him: and he shall see his face with joy, and he will render to man his justice.
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 shall look upon men, and shall say: I have sinned, and indeed I have offended, and I have not received what I have deserved.
28 He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit, and I will live to see the light.’
He hath delivered his soul from going into destruction, that it may live and see the light.
29 Behold, all these things God does to a man, two or even three times,
Behold, all these things God worketh three times within every one.
30 to bring back his soul from the Pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
That he may withdraw their souls from corruption, and enlighten them with the light of the living.
31 Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.
Attend, Job, and hearken to me: and hold thy peace, whilst I speak.
32 But if you have something to say, answer me; speak up, for I would like to vindicate you.
But if thou hast any thing to say, answer me, speak: for I would have thee to appear just.
33 But if not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.”
And if thou have not, hear me: hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom.
