Job 33
1 Hear therefore, O Job, my speeches, and hearken to all my words.
“But now, O Job, hear my speech, and listen to all my words.
2 Behold now I have opened my mouth, let my tongue speak within my jaws.
Behold, I will open my mouth; my address is on the tip of my tongue.
3 My words are from my upright heart, and my lips shall speak a pure sentence.
My words are from an upright heart, and my lips speak sincerely what I know.
4 The spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gave me life.
The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 If thou canst, answer me, and stand up against my face.
Refute me if you can; prepare your case and confront me.
6 Behold God hath made me as well as thee, and of the same clay I also was formed.
I am just like you before God; I was also formed from clay.
7 But yet let not my wonder terrify thee, and let not my eloquence be burdensome to thee.
Surely no fear of me should terrify you; nor will my hand be heavy upon you.
8 Now thou has said in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words:
Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard these very words:
9 I am clean, and without sin: I am unspotted, and there is no iniquity in me.
‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, with no iniquity in me.
10 Because he hath found complaints against me, therefore he hath counted me for his enemy.
Yet God finds occasions against me; He counts me as His enemy.
11 He hath put my feet in the stocks, he hath observed all my paths.
He puts my feet in the stocks; He watches over all my paths.’
12 Now this is the thing in which thou art not justified: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.
Behold, you are not right in this matter. I will answer you, for God is greater than man.
13 Dost thou strive against him, because he hath not answered thee to all words?
Why do you complain to Him that He answers nothing a man asks?
14 God speaketh once, and repeateth not the selfsame thing the second time.
For God speaks in one way and in another, yet no one notices.
15 By a dream in a vision by night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, and they are sleeping in their beds:
In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds,
16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and teaching instructeth them in what they are to learn.
He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings
17 That he may withdraw a man from the things he is doing, and may deliver him from pride.
to turn a man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride,
18 Rescuing his soul from corruption: and his life from passing to the sword.
to preserve his soul from the Pit and his life from perishing by the sword.
19 He rebuketh also by sorrow in the bed, and he maketh all his bones to wither.
A man is also chastened on his bed with pain and constant distress in his bones,
20 Bread becometh abominable to him in his life, and to his soul the meat which before he desired.
so that he detests his bread, and his soul loathes his favorite food.
21 His flesh shall be consumed away, and his bones that were covered shall be made bare.
His flesh wastes away from sight, and his hidden bones protrude.
22 His soul hath drawn near to corruption, and his life to the destroyers.
He draws near to the Pit, and his life to the messengers of death.
23 If there shall be an angel speaking for him, one among thousands, to declare man’s uprightness,
Yet if there is a messenger on his side, one mediator in a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him,
24 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.
to be gracious to him and say, ‘Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found his ransom,’
25 His flesh is consumed with punishment, let him return to the days of his youth.
then his flesh is refreshed like a child’s; he returns to the days of his youth.
26 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.
He prays to God and finds favor; he sees God’s face and shouts for joy, and God restores His righteousness to that man.
27 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.
Then he sings before men with these words: ‘I have sinned and perverted what was right; yet I did not get what I deserved.
28 He hath delivered his soul from going into destruction, that it may live and see the light.
He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit, and I will live to see the light.’
29 Behold, all these things God worketh three times within every one.
Behold, all these things God does to a man, two or even three times,
30 That he may withdraw their souls from corruption, and enlighten them with the light of the living.
to bring back his soul from the Pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
31 Attend, Job, and hearken to me: and hold thy peace, whilst I speak.
Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.
32 But if thou hast any thing to say, answer me, speak: for I would have thee to appear just.
But if you have something to say, answer me; speak up, for I would like to vindicate you.
33 And if thou have not, hear me: hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom.
But if not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.”
