Job 33
1 Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear mine utterances, and hearken to all my words.
And now, O Job, give ear to my words, and take note of all I say.
2 Behold now, I have opened my mouth, my tongue speaketh in my palate,
See, now my mouth is open, my tongue gives out words.
3 My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart, and my lips shall utter knowledge purely.
My heart is overflowing with knowledge, my lips say what is true.
4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
The spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Ruler of all gives me life.
5 If thou canst, answer me; array [thy words] before me: take thy stand.
If you are able, give me an answer; put your cause in order, and come forward.
6 Behold, before God I am as thou; I also am formed out of the clay.
See, I am the same as you are in the eyes of God; I was cut off from the same bit of wet earth.
7 Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, nor my burden be heavy upon thee.
Fear of me will not overcome you, and my hand will not be hard on you.
8 Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of [thy] words: —
But you said in my hearing, and your voice came to my ears:
9 I am clean without transgression; I am pure, and there is no iniquity in me;
I am clean, without sin; I am washed, and there is no evil in me:
10 Lo, he findeth occasions of hostility against me, he counteth me for his enemy;
See, he is looking for something against me; in his eyes I am as one of his haters;
11 He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.
He puts chains on my feet; he is watching all my ways.
12 Behold, I will answer thee in this, thou art not right; for God is greater than man.
Truly, in saying this you are wrong; for God is greater than man.
13 Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.
Why do you put forward your cause against him, saying, He gives no answer to any of my words?
14 For God speaketh once, and twice, — [and man] perceiveth it not —
For God gives his word in one way, even in two, and man is not conscious of it:
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep comes on men, while they take their rest on their beds;
16 Then he openeth men's ears, and sealeth their instruction,
Then he makes his secrets clear to men, so that they are full of fear at what they see;
17 That he may withdraw man [from his] work, and hide pride from man.
In order that man may be turned from his evil works, and that pride may be taken away from him;
18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from passing away by the sword.
To keep back his soul from the underworld, and his life from destruction.
19 He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and with constant strife in his bones;
Pain is sent on him as a punishment, while he is on his bed; there is no end to the trouble in his bones;
20 And his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty food;
He has no desire for food, and his soul is turned away from delicate meat;
21 His flesh is consumed away from view, and his bones that were not seen stick out;
His flesh is so wasted away, that it may not be seen, and his bones. ...
22 And his soul draweth near to the pit, and his life to the destroyers.
And his soul comes near to the underworld, and his life to the angels of death.
23 If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his duty;
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;
24 Then he will be gracious unto him, and say, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.
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:
25 His flesh shall be fresher than in childhood; he shall return to the days of his youth.
Then his flesh becomes young again, and he comes back to the days of his early strength;
26 He shall pray unto God, and he will receive him with favour; and he shall see his face with shoutings, and he will render unto man his righteousness.
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;
27 He will sing before men, and say, I have sinned, and perverted what was right, and it hath not been requited to me;
He makes a song, saying, I did wrong, turning from the straight way, but he did not give me the reward of my sin.
28 He hath delivered my soul from going into the pit, and my life shall see the light.
He kept my soul from the underworld, and my life sees the light in full measure.
29 Lo, all these [things] worketh God twice, thrice, with man,
Truly, God does all these things to man, twice and three times,
30 To bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
Keeping back his soul from the underworld, so that he may see the light of life.
31 Mark well, Job, hearken unto me; be silent, and I will speak.
Take note O Job, give ear to me; keep quiet, while I say what is in my mind.
32 If thou hast anything to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify thee.
If you have anything to say, give me an answer; for it is my desire that you may be judged free from sin.
33 If not, hearken thou unto me; be silent, and I will teach thee wisdom.
If not, give attention to me, and keep quiet, and I will give you wisdom.
