< Job 33 >

1 Therefore, hear my speeches, Job, and listen to all my words.
But, in very deed, hear, I pray thee, Job, my discourse, and, to all my words, give thou ear.
2 Behold, I have opened my mouth; let my tongue speak along with my throat.
Lo! I pray thee, I have opened my mouth, My tongue, with my palate, hath spoken,
3 My words are from my simple heart, and my lips will speak a pure judgment.
Mine utterances come straight from mine own heart, and, what I know, my lips have truly spoken;
4 The Spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gave me life.
The spirit of GOD, hath made me, and, the inspiration of the Almighty, giveth me life.
5 If you can, answer me, and oppose me to my face.
If thou art able to answer me, Set in order before me—take thy stand!
6 Behold, God has made me, just as he also has made you, and I, likewise, have been formed of the same clay.
Lo! I am like thyself toward GOD, From clay, have I been nipped off, even I!
7 So, truly, do not let my wonders terrify you, and do not let my eloquence be burdensome to you.
Lo! my terror, will not startle thee, nor, my hand, upon thee, be heavy.
8 For you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of your words, saying:
But thou hast spoken in mine ears, and, the sound of words, I heard: —
9 “I am clean and without sin; I am immaculate, and there is no iniquity in me.
Pure am, I, without transgression, —Clean am, I, and have no iniquity;
10 Yet he has discovered blame in me, and so he has treated me like his enemy.
Lo! occasions of hostility, would he find against me, He counteth me an enemy to him;
11 He has put my feet in fetters; he has kept watch over all my ways.”
He putteth—in the stocks—my feet, He watcheth all my paths.
12 Therefore, it is for this reason that you have not been justified. For I tell you that God is greater than man.
Lo! in this, thou hast not been right—let me answer thee, For, GOD, is greater than, man.
13 Do you contend against him because he has not responded to all of your words?
Wherefore, against him, hast thou contended? For, with none of his reasons, will he respond.
14 God speaks once, and he does not repeat the same thing a second time.
For, in one way, GOD may speak, —and, in a second way, one may not heed it: —
15 Through a dream in a vision of the night, when a deep sleep falls over men, and they are sleeping in their beds,
In a dream, a vision of the night, when a deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed,
16 then, he opens the ears of men, and, educating them, he teaches discipline,
Then, uncovereth he the ear of men, and, on their correction, affixeth a seal;
17 so that he may divert a man from the things that he is doing, and may free him from pride,
To turn a son of earth from his deed, while yet, pride, from man he concealeth:
18 rescuing his soul from corruption and his life from passing away by the sword.
He keepeth back his said from the pit, and his life from passing away by a weapon.
19 Likewise, he rebukes by sorrow in bed, and he causes all of his bones to become weak.
Or he is chastised with pain, upon his bed, and, the strife of his bones, is unceasing!
20 Bread becomes abominable to him in his life, and, to his soul, the meat which before he desired.
So that his life maketh loathsome [his] food, and his soul, dainty meat;
21 His body will waste away, and his bones, which had been covered, will be revealed.
His flesh wasteth away out of sight, and bared are the bones once unseen;
22 His soul has approached corruption, and his life has drawn near to what is deadly.
So doth his soul draw near to the pit, and his life to the inflicters of death:
23 If there were an angel speaking for him, one among thousands, to declare the fairness of the man,
If there hath been near him a messenger who could interpret—one of a thousand, to declare to the son of earth His uprightness,
24 he will have mercy on him, and he will say, “Free him, so that he will not descend to destruction. I have found a reason to be favorable to him.
Then hath he shewed him favour, and said, Set him free from going down to the pit, I have found a price of redemption!
25 His body is consumed by suffering. Let him return to the days of his youth.”
His flesh hath been made fresher than a child’s, he hath returned to the days of his youth;
26 He will beg pardon from God, and he will be soothing to him; and he will look upon his face in jubilation, and he will restore his justice to man.
He made supplication unto GOD, who hath accepted him, and he hath beheld his face with a shout of triumph, Thus hath he given back to man his righteousness.
27 He will consider mankind, and he will say: “I have sinned and truly I have offended, yet I was not treated as I deserved.”
He sang before men, and said, I sinned, and, uprightness, I perverted, yet he requited me not;
28 He has freed his soul from continuing into destruction, so that, in living, it may see the light.
He hath ransomed my soul from passing away into the pit, —and, my life, in the light, shall have vision.
29 Behold, all these things God works three times within each one,
Lo! a these things, doth GOD work, two ways, three, with a man;
30 so that he may revive their souls from corruption and enlighten them with the light of life.
To bring back his soul from the pit, to enlighten with the light of the living.
31 Pay attention Job, and listen to me; and remain silent, while I speak.
Mark well, O Job, and hearken to me, Be silent, and, I, will speak:
32 Yet, if you have anything to say, answer me and speak, for I want you to be treated justly.
If there is anything to say, reply to me, Speak, for I desire to justify thee;
33 But if you do not have anything to say, then listen to me. Be quiet and I will teach you wisdom.
If not, do, thou, hearken unto me, Be silent, that I may teach thee wisdom.

< Job 33 >