Job 33
1 Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear mine utterances, and hearken to all my words.
Hear therefore, O Job, my speeches, and hearken to all my words.
2 Behold now, I have opened my mouth, my tongue speaketh in my palate,
Behold now I have opened my mouth, let my tongue speak within my jaws.
3 My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart, and my lips shall utter knowledge purely.
My words are from my upright heart, and my lips shall speak a pure sentence.
4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
The spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gave me life.
5 If thou canst, answer me; array [thy words] before me: take thy stand.
If thou canst, answer me, and stand up against my face.
6 Behold, before God I am as thou; I also am formed out of the clay.
Behold God hath made me as well as thee, and of the same clay I also was formed.
7 Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, nor my burden be heavy upon thee.
But yet let not my wonder terrify thee, and let not my eloquence be burdensome to thee.
8 Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of [thy] words: —
Now thou has said in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words:
9 I am clean without transgression; I am pure, and there is no iniquity in me;
I am clean, and without sin: I am unspotted, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Lo, he findeth occasions of hostility against me, he counteth me for his enemy;
Because he hath found complaints against me, therefore he hath counted me for his enemy.
11 He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.
He hath put my feet in the stocks, he hath observed all my paths.
12 Behold, I will answer thee in this, thou art not right; for God is greater than man.
Now this is the thing in which thou art not justified: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.
13 Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.
Dost thou strive against him, because he hath not answered thee to all words?
14 For God speaketh once, and twice, — [and man] perceiveth it not —
God speaketh once, and repeateth not the selfsame thing the second time.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
By a dream in a vision by night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, and they are sleeping in their beds:
16 Then he openeth men's ears, and sealeth their instruction,
Then he openeth the ears of men, and teaching instructeth them in what they are to learn.
17 That he may withdraw man [from his] work, and hide pride from man.
That he may withdraw a man from the things he is doing, and may deliver him from pride.
18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from passing away by the sword.
Rescuing his soul from corruption: and his life from passing to the sword.
19 He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and with constant strife in his bones;
He rebuketh also by sorrow in the bed, and he maketh all his bones to wither.
20 And his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty food;
Bread becometh abominable to him in his life, and to his soul the meat which before he desired.
21 His flesh is consumed away from view, and his bones that were not seen stick out;
His flesh shall be consumed away, and his bones that were covered shall be made bare.
22 And his soul draweth near to the pit, and his life to the destroyers.
His soul hath drawn near to corruption, and his life to the destroyers.
23 If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his duty;
If there shall be an angel speaking for him, one among thousands, to declare man’s uprightness,
24 Then he will be gracious unto him, and say, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.
He shall have mercy on him, and shall say: Deliver him, that he may not go down to corruption: I have found wherein I may be merciful to him.
25 His flesh shall be fresher than in childhood; he shall return to the days of his youth.
His flesh is consumed with punishment, let him return to the days of his youth.
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 shall pray to God, and he will be gracious to him: and he shall see his face with joy, and he will render to man his justice.
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 shall look upon men, and shall say: I have sinned, and indeed I have offended, and I have not received what I have deserved.
28 He hath delivered my soul from going into the pit, and my life shall see the light.
He hath delivered his soul from going into destruction, that it may live and see the light.
29 Lo, all these [things] worketh God twice, thrice, with man,
Behold, all these things God worketh three times within every one.
30 To bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
That he may withdraw their souls from corruption, and enlighten them with the light of the living.
31 Mark well, Job, hearken unto me; be silent, and I will speak.
Attend, Job, and hearken to me: and hold thy peace, whilst I speak.
32 If thou hast anything to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify thee.
But if thou hast any thing to say, answer me, speak: for I would have thee to appear just.
33 If not, hearken thou unto me; be silent, and I will teach thee wisdom.
And if thou have not, hear me: hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom.
