Job 33
1 And now, O Job, give ear to my words, and take note of all I say.
Hear, therefore, my discourse, I pray thee, O Job! And attend unto all my words!
2 See, now my mouth is open, my tongue gives out words.
Behold, I am opening my mouth; My tongue is now speaking in my palate.
3 My heart is overflowing with knowledge, my lips say what is true.
My words shall be in the uprightness of my heart; My lips shall utter knowledge purely.
4 The spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Ruler of all gives me life.
The spirit of God made me, And the breath of the Almighty gave me life.
5 If you are able, give me an answer; put your cause in order, and come forward.
If thou art able, answer me; Set thyself in array against me; stand up!
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.
Behold, I, like thee, am a creature of God; I also was formed of clay.
7 Fear of me will not overcome you, and my hand will not be hard on you.
Behold, my terror cannot dismay thee, Nor can my greatness be heavy upon thee.
8 But you said in my hearing, and your voice came to my ears:
Surely thou hast said in my hearing, I have heard the sound of thy words:
9 I am clean, without sin; I am washed, and there is no evil in me:
“I am pure, and without transgression; I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 See, he is looking for something against me; in his eyes I am as one of his haters;
Behold, He seeketh causes of hostility against me; He regardeth me as his enemy.
11 He puts chains on my feet; he is watching all my ways.
He putteth my feet in the stocks; He watcheth all my paths.”
12 Truly, in saying this you are wrong; for God is greater than man.
Behold, in this thou art not right; I will answer thee; For God is greater than man.
13 Why do you put forward your cause against him, saying, He gives no answer to any of my words?
Why dost thou contend with Him? For he giveth no account of any of his doings.
14 For God gives his word in one way, even in two, and man is not conscious of it:
For God speaketh once, Yea, twice, when man regardeth it not.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep comes on men, while they take their rest on their beds;
In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falleth upon men, In slumber upon the bed;
16 Then he makes his secrets clear to men, so that they are full of fear at what they see;
Then openeth he the ears of men, And sealeth up for them admonition;
17 In order that man may be turned from his evil works, and that pride may be taken away from him;
That he may turn man from his purpose, And hide pride from man.
18 To keep back his soul from the underworld, and his life from destruction.
Thus he saveth him from the pit, Yea, his life from perishing by the sword.
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;
He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, And with a continual agitation of his bones,
20 He has no desire for food, and his soul is turned away from delicate meat;
So that his mouth abhorreth bread, And his taste the choicest food;
21 His flesh is so wasted away, that it may not be seen, and his bones. ...
His flesh is consumed, that it cannot be seen, And his bones, that were invisible, are naked;
22 And his soul comes near to the underworld, and his life to the angels of death.
Yea, his soul draweth near to the pit, And his life to the destroyers.
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;
But if there be with him a messenger, An interpreter, one of a thousand, Who may show unto man his duty,
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:
Then will God be gracious to him, and say, “Save him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.”
25 Then his flesh becomes young again, and he comes back to the days of his early strength;
His flesh shall became fresher than a child's; He shall return to the days of his youth.
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;
He shall pray to God, and he will be favorable to him, And permit him to see his face with joy, And restore unto man his righteousness.
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.
He shall sing among men, and say, “I sinned; I acted perversely; Yet hath he not requited me for it:
28 He kept my soul from the underworld, and my life sees the light in full measure.
He hath delivered me from going down to the pit, And my life beholdeth the light.”
29 Truly, God does all these things to man, twice and three times,
Lo! all these things doeth God Time after time with man,
30 Keeping back his soul from the underworld, so that he may see the light of life.
That he may bring him back from the pit, That he may enjoy the light of the living.
31 Take note O Job, give ear to me; keep quiet, while I say what is in my mind.
Mark well, O Job! hearken to me! Keep silence, 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.
Yet if thou hast any thing to say, answer me! Speak! for I desire to pronounce thee innocent.
33 If not, give attention to me, and keep quiet, and I will give you wisdom.
But if not, do thou listen to me! Keep silence, and I will teach thee wisdom!
