< Job 33 >

1 “But now, O Job, hear my speech, and listen to all my words.
Therefore do thou but hear, O Job, my speeches, and give ear 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, my tongue speaketh in my mouth.
3 My words are from an upright heart, and my lips speak sincerely what I know.
Out of my straightforward heart [come] my sayings, and my lips utter knowledge clearly.
4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty giveth me life.
5 Refute me if you can; prepare your case and confront me.
If thou canst, answer me, array thyself before me, stand forward.
6 I am just like you before God; I was also formed from clay.
Behold, I am in the same relation as thyself toward God: I myself also am cut out of the clay.
7 Surely no fear of me should terrify you; nor will my hand be heavy upon you.
Behold, dread of me cannot terrify thee, and my pressure will not be too heavy upon thee.
8 Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard these very words:
But thou hast said before my ears, and the sound of the words I still hear,
9 ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, with no iniquity in me.
“I am pure without transgression, I am quite clean; and there is no iniquity in me:
10 Yet God finds occasions against me; He counts me as His enemy.
Yet, behold, he findeth hateful backsliding on me, he regardeth me as an enemy unto him;
11 He puts my feet in the stocks; He watches over all my paths.’
He putteth my feet in the stocks, he watcheth all my paths.”
12 Behold, you are not right in this matter. I will answer you, for God is greater than man.
Behold, In this thou art not just: I will answer thee; for God is far greater than a mortal.
13 Why do you complain to Him that He answers nothing a man asks?
Why dost thou contend against him? for with all his words will he not give an answer.
14 For God speaks in one way and in another, yet no one notices.
For God speaketh once, yea twice: [yet man] regardeth it not.
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 falleth upon men, in slumbers upon the couch:
16 He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings
Then doth he lay open the ear of men, and sealeth it with their warning;
17 to turn a man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride,
To remove the son of earth [from his intended] deed and he covereth up pride from man;
18 to preserve his soul from the Pit and his life from perishing by the sword.
He withholdeth his soul from the pit, and his life from passing away by the sword.
19 A man is also chastened on his bed with pain and constant distress in his bones,
And so is he admonished by pain upon his couch, and all his bones with violent [aches].
20 so that he detests his bread, and his soul loathes his favorite food.
So that his inclination abhorreth bread, and his soul, the most agreeable food.
21 His flesh wastes away from sight, and his hidden bones protrude.
His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out.
22 He draws near to the Pit, and his life to the messengers of death.
Yea, his soul draweth near unto the pit, and his life to those that slay.
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 be now about him one single angel, as defender, one out of a thousand, to tell for man his uprightness:
24 to be gracious to him and say, ‘Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found his ransom,’
Then is he gracious unto him, and saith, Release him from going down to the pit, I have found an atonement.
25 then his flesh is refreshed like a child’s; he returns to the days of his youth.
His flesh becometh full again as in youth: he returneth to the days of his boyhood.
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 will offer his entreaty unto God, and he will receive him in favor, that he may see his face with joy: so doth He recompense unto the mortal his righteousness.
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 then should assemble men around, and say, “I had sinned, and perverted what is right, yet have I not received a like return.”
28 He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit, and I will live to see the light.’
Thus he redeemeth his soul from passing into the pit, and his life will look joyously on the light.
29 Behold, all these things God does to a man, two or even three times,
Lo, all these things doth God two or three times with man;
30 to bring back his soul from the Pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
To bring back his soul from the pit, that she may shine in the light of life.
31 Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.
Listen well, O Job, hearken unto me: keep silence, and I will truly speak.
32 But if you have something to say, answer me; speak up, for I would like to vindicate you.
If thou hast any words, answer me: speak, for I wish to justify thee.
33 But if not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.”
If not, hearken thou unto me: keep silence, and I will teach thee wisdom.

< Job 33 >