< Job 33 >

1 “But now, O Job, hear my speech, and listen to all my words.
“And yet, please, O Job, Hear my speech and give ear [to] all my words.
2 Behold, I will open my mouth; my address is on the tip of my tongue.
Now behold, I have opened my mouth, My tongue has spoken in the palate.
3 My words are from an upright heart, and my lips speak sincerely what I know.
Of the uprightness of my heart [are] my sayings, And my lips have clearly spoken knowledge.
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 Mighty quickens me.
5 Refute me if you can; prepare your case and confront me.
If you are able—answer me, Set in array before me—station yourself.
6 I am just like you before God; I was also formed from clay.
Behold, I [am], according to your word, for God, I have also been formed from the clay.
7 Surely no fear of me should terrify you; nor will my hand be heavy upon you.
Behold, my terror does not frighten you, And my burden on you is not heavy.
8 Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard these very words:
Surely you have spoken in my ears, And the sounds of words I hear:
9 ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, with no iniquity in me.
I [am] pure, without transgression, I [am] innocent, and I have no iniquity.
10 Yet God finds occasions against me; He counts me as His enemy.
Behold, He develops hindrances against me, He reckons me for an enemy to Him,
11 He puts my feet in the stocks; He watches over all my paths.’
He puts my feet in the stocks, He watches all my paths.
12 Behold, you are not right in this matter. I will answer you, for God is greater than man.
Behold, you have not been righteous [in] this, I answer you, that God is greater than man.
13 Why do you complain to Him that He answers nothing a man asks?
Why have you striven against Him, When [for] all His matters He does not answer?
14 For God speaks in one way and in another, yet no one notices.
For once God speaks, and twice (he does not behold 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—a vision of night, In the falling of deep sleep on men, In slumberings on a bed.
16 He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings
Then He uncovers the ear of men, And seals for their instruction,
17 to turn a man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride,
To turn aside man [from] doing, And He conceals pride from man.
18 to preserve his soul from the Pit and his life from perishing by the sword.
He keeps back his soul from corruption, And his life from passing away by a dart.
19 A man is also chastened on his bed with pain and constant distress in his bones,
And he has been reproved With pain on his bed, And the strife of his bones [is] enduring.
20 so that he detests his bread, and his soul loathes his favorite food.
And his life has nauseated bread, And his soul desirable food.
21 His flesh wastes away from sight, and his hidden bones protrude.
His flesh is consumed from being seen, And his bones are high, they were not seen!
22 He draws near to the Pit, and his life to the messengers of death.
And his soul draws near to the pit, And his life to those causing 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 there is a messenger by him, An interpreter—one of a thousand, To declare 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 He favors him and says, Ransom 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.
Fresher [is] his flesh than a child’s, He returns 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 makes supplication to God, And He accepts him. And he sees His face with shouting, And He returns to man 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.
[Then] he looks on men and says, I sinned, and I have perverted uprightness, And it has not been profitable to me.
28 He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit, and I will live to see the light.’
He has ransomed my soul From going over into the pit, And my life looks on the light.
29 Behold, all these things God does to a man, two or even three times,
Behold, God works all these, Twice, [even] 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, To be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.
Attend, O Job, listen to me, Keep silent, and I speak.
32 But if you have something to say, answer me; speak up, for I would like to vindicate you.
If there are words—answer me, Speak, for I have a desire to justify you.
33 But if not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.”
If there are not—listen to me, Keep silent, and I teach you wisdom.”

< Job 33 >