Job 33
1 And now, O Job, give ear to my words, and take note of all I say.
Howbeit hear, Job, my words, and listen to my speech.
2 See, now my mouth is open, my tongue gives out words.
For behold, I have opened my mouth, and my tongue has spoken.
3 My heart is overflowing with knowledge, my lips say what is true.
My heart [shall be found] pure by [my] words; and the understanding of my lips shall meditate purity.
4 The spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Ruler of all gives me life.
The Divine Spirit is that which formed me, and the breath of the Almighty that which teaches me.
5 If you are able, give me an answer; put your cause in order, and come forward.
If you can, give me an answer: wait therefore; stand against me, and I [will stand] against you.
6 See, I am the same as you are in the eyes of God; I was cut off from the same bit of wet earth.
You are formed out of the clay as also I: we have been formed out of the same [substance].
7 Fear of me will not overcome you, and my hand will not be hard on you.
My fear shall not terrify you, neither shall my hand be heavy upon you.
8 But you said in my hearing, and your voice came to my ears:
But you have said in mine ears, (I have heard the voice of your words; ) because you say, I am pure, not having sinned;
9 I am clean, without sin; I am washed, and there is no evil in me:
I am blameless, for I have not transgressed.
10 See, he is looking for something against me; in his eyes I am as one of his haters;
Yet he has discovered a charge against me, and he has reckoned me as an adversary.
11 He puts chains on my feet; he is watching all my ways.
And he has put my foot in the stocks, and has watched all my ways.
12 Truly, in saying this you are wrong; for God is greater than man.
For how say you, I am righteous, yet he has not listened to me? for he that is above mortals is eternal.
13 Why do you put forward your cause against him, saying, He gives no answer to any of my words?
But you say, Why has he not heard every word of my cause?
14 For God gives his word in one way, even in two, and man is not conscious of it:
For when the Lord speaks once, or a second time,
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep comes on men, while they take their rest on their beds;
[sending] a dream, or in the meditation of the night; (as when a dreadful alarm happens to fall upon men, in slumberings on the bed: )
16 Then he makes his secrets clear to men, so that they are full of fear at what they see;
then opens he the understanding of men: he scares them with such fearful visions:
17 In order that man may be turned from his evil works, and that pride may be taken away from him;
to turn a man from unrighteousness, and he delivers his body from a fall.
18 To keep back his soul from the underworld, and his life from destruction.
He spares also his soul from death, and [suffers] him not to fall in war.
19 Pain is sent on him as a punishment, while he is on his bed; there is no end to the trouble in his bones;
And again, he chastens him with sickness on his bed, and the multitude of his bones is benumbed.
20 He has no desire for food, and his soul is turned away from delicate meat;
And he shall not be able to take any food, though his soul shall desire meat;
21 His flesh is so wasted away, that it may not be seen, and his bones. ...
until his flesh shall be consumed, and he shall show his bones bare.
22 And his soul comes near to the underworld, and his life to the angels of death.
His soul also draws near to death, and his life is in Hades.
23 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;
Though there should be a thousand messengers of death, not one of them shall wound him: if he should purpose in his heart to turn to the Lord, and declare to man his fault, and show his folly;
24 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:
he will support him, that he should not perish, and will restore his body as [fresh] plaster upon a wall; and he will fill his bones with morrow.
25 Then his flesh becomes young again, and he comes back to the days of his early strength;
And he will make his flesh tender as that of a babe, and he will restore him amongst men in [his] full strength.
26 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;
And he shall pray to the Lord, and his prayer shall be accepted of him; he shall enter with a cheerful countenance, with a full expression [of praise]: for he will render to men [their] due.
27 He makes a song, saying, I did wrong, turning from the straight way, but he did not give me the reward of my sin.
Even then a man shall blame himself, saying, What kind of things have I done? and he has not punished me according to the full amount of my sins.
28 He kept my soul from the underworld, and my life sees the light in full measure.
Deliver my soul, that it may not go to destruction, and my life shall see the light.
29 Truly, God does all these things to man, twice and three times,
Behold, all these things, the Mighty One works in a threefold manner with a man.
30 Keeping back his soul from the underworld, so that he may see the light of life.
And he has delivered my soul from death, that my life may praise him in the light.
31 Take note O Job, give ear to me; keep quiet, while I say what is in my mind.
Listen, Job, and hear me: be silent, and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, give me an answer; for it is my desire that you may be judged free from sin.
If you have words, answer me: speak, for I desire you to be justified.
33 If not, give attention to me, and keep quiet, and I will give you wisdom.
If not, do you hear me: be silent, and I will teach you.
