Job 33
1 Howbeit hear, Job, my words, and hearken to my speech.
And yet, I pray thee, O Job, Hear my speech and [to] all my words give ear.
2 For behold, I have opened my mouth, and my tongue has spoken.
Lo, I pray thee, I have opened my mouth, My tongue hath spoken in the palate.
3 My heart [shall be found] pure by [my] words; and the understanding of my lips shall meditate purity.
Of the uprightness of my heart [are] my sayings, And knowledge have my lips clearly spoken.
4 The Divine Spirit is that which formed me, and the breath of the Almighty that which teaches me.
The Spirit of God hath made me, And the breath of the Mighty doth quicken me.
5 If thou canst, give me an answer: wait therefore; stand against me, and I [will stand] against thee.
If thou art able — answer me, Set in array before me — station thyself.
6 Thou art formed out of the clay as also I: we have been formed out of the same [substance].
Lo, I [am], according to thy word, for God, From the clay I — I also, have been formed.
7 My fear shall not terrify thee, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.
Lo, my terror doth not frighten thee, And my burden on thee is not heavy.
8 But thou hast said in mine ears, (I have heard the voice of thy words; ) because thou sayest, I am pure, not having sinned;
Surely — thou hast said in mine ears, And the sounds of words I hear:
9 I am blameless, for I have not transgressed.
'Pure [am] I, without transgression, Innocent [am] I, and I have no iniquity.
10 Yet he has discovered a charge against me, and he has reckoned me as an adversary.
Lo, occasions against me He doth find, He doth reckon me for an enemy to Him,
11 And he has put my foot in the stocks, and has watched all my ways.
He doth put in the stocks my feet, He doth watch all my paths.'
12 For how sayest thou, I am righteous, yet he has not hearkened to me? for he that is above mortals is eternal.
Lo, [in] this thou hast not been righteous, I answer thee, that greater is God than man.
13 But thou sayest, Why has he not heard every word of my cause?
Wherefore against Him hast thou striven, When [for] all His matters He answereth not?
14 For when the Lord speaks once, or a second time,
For once doth God speak, and twice, (He doth not behold it.)
15 [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: )
In a dream — a vision of night, In the falling of deep sleep on men, In slumberings on a bed.
16 then opens he the understanding of men: he scares them with such fearful visions:
Then He uncovereth the ear of men, And for their instruction sealeth:
17 to turn a man from unrighteousness, and he delivers his body from a fall.
To turn aside man [from] doing, And pride from man He concealeth.
18 He spares also his soul from death, and [suffers] him not to fall in war.
He keepeth back his soul from corruption, And his life from passing away by a dart.
19 And again, he chastens him with sickness on his bed, and the multitude of his bones is benumbed.
And he hath been reproved With pain on his bed, And the strife of his bones [is] enduring.
20 And he shall not be able to take any food, though his soul shall desire meat;
And his life hath nauseated bread, And his soul desirable food.
21 until his flesh shall be consumed, and he shall shew his bones bare.
His flesh is consumed from being seen, And high are his bones, they were not seen!
22 His soul also draws nigh to death, and his life is in Hades.
And draw near to the pit doth his soul, And his life to those causing death.
23 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 shew his folly;
If there is by him a messenger, An interpreter — one of a thousand, To declare for man his uprightness:
24 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.
Then He doth favour him and saith, 'Ransom him from going down to the pit, I have found an atonement.'
25 And he will make his flesh tender as that of a babe, and he will restore him among men in [his] full strength.
Fresher [is] his flesh than a child's, He returneth to the days of his youth.
26 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.
He maketh supplication unto God, And He accepteth him. And he seeth His face with shouting, And He returneth to man His righteousness.
27 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.
He looketh on men, and saith, 'I sinned, And uprightness I have perverted, And it hath not been profitable to me.
28 Deliver my soul, that it may not go to destruction, and my life shall see the light.
He hath ransomed my soul From going over into the pit, And my life on the light looketh.'
29 Behold, all these things, the Mighty One works in a threefold manner with a man.
Lo, all these doth God work, Twice — thrice with man,
30 And he has delivered my soul from death, that my life may praise him in the light.
To bring back his soul from the pit, To be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 Hearken, Job, and hear me: be silent, and I will speak.
Attend, O Job, hearken to me, Keep silent, and I — I do speak.
32 If thou hast words, answer me: speak, for I desire thee to be justified.
If there are words — answer me, Speak, for I have a desire to justify thee.
33 If not, do thou hear me: be silent, and I will teach thee.
If there are not — hearken thou to me, Keep silent, and I teach thee wisdom.
