< Job 33 >
1 Hear therefore, O Job, my speeches, and hearken to all my words.
And yet, I pray thee, O Job, Hear my speech and [to] all my words give ear.
2 Behold now I have opened my mouth, let my tongue speak within my jaws.
Lo, I pray thee, I have opened my mouth, My tongue hath spoken in the palate.
3 My words are from my upright heart, and my lips shall speak a pure sentence.
Of the uprightness of my heart [are] my sayings, And knowledge have my lips clearly 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 breath of the Mighty doth quicken me.
5 If thou canst, answer me, and stand up against my face.
If thou art able — answer me, Set in array before me — station thyself.
6 Behold God hath made me as well as thee, and of the same clay I also was formed.
Lo, I [am], according to thy word, for God, From the clay I — I also, have been formed.
7 But yet let not my wonder terrify thee, and let not my eloquence be burdensome to thee.
Lo, my terror doth not frighten thee, And my burden on thee is not heavy.
8 Now thou has said in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words:
Surely — thou hast said in mine ears, And the sounds of words I hear:
9 I am clean, and without sin: I am unspotted, and there is no iniquity in me.
'Pure [am] I, without transgression, Innocent [am] I, and I have no iniquity.
10 Because he hath found complaints against me, therefore he hath counted me for his enemy.
Lo, occasions against me He doth find, He doth reckon me for an enemy to Him,
11 He hath put my feet in the stocks, he hath observed all my paths.
He doth put in the stocks my feet, He doth watch 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.
Lo, [in] this thou hast not been righteous, I answer thee, that greater is God than man.
13 Dost thou strive against him, because he hath not answered thee to all words?
Wherefore against Him hast thou striven, When [for] all His matters He answereth not?
14 God speaketh once, and repeateth not the selfsame thing the second time.
For once doth God speak, and twice, (He doth not behold it.)
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 — a vision of night, In the falling of deep sleep on men, In slumberings on a bed.
16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and teaching instructeth them in what they are to learn.
Then He uncovereth the ear of men, And for their instruction sealeth:
17 That he may withdraw a man from the things he is doing, and may deliver him from pride.
To turn aside man [from] doing, And pride from man He concealeth.
18 Rescuing his soul from corruption: and his life from passing to the sword.
He keepeth back his soul from corruption, And his life from passing away by a dart.
19 He rebuketh also by sorrow in the bed, and he maketh all his bones to wither.
And he hath been reproved With pain on his bed, And the strife of his bones [is] enduring.
20 Bread becometh abominable to him in his life, and to his soul the meat which before he desired.
And his life hath nauseated bread, And his soul desirable food.
21 His flesh shall be consumed away, and his bones that were covered shall be made bare.
His flesh is consumed from being seen, And high are his bones, they were not seen!
22 His soul hath drawn near to corruption, and his life to the destroyers.
And draw near to the pit doth his soul, And his life to those causing death.
23 If there shall be an angel speaking for him, one among thousands, to declare man’s uprightness,
If there is by him a messenger, An interpreter — one of a thousand, To declare for man his uprightness:
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.
Then He doth favour him and saith, 'Ransom him from going down to the pit, I have found an atonement.'
25 His flesh is consumed with punishment, let him return to the days of his youth.
Fresher [is] his flesh than a child's, He returneth 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 maketh supplication unto God, And He accepteth him. And he seeth His face with shouting, And He returneth to man His righteousness.
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.
He looketh on men, and saith, 'I sinned, And uprightness I have perverted, And it hath not been profitable to me.
28 He hath delivered his soul from going into destruction, that it may live and 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 God worketh three times within every one.
Lo, all these doth God work, Twice — thrice with man,
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, To be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 Attend, Job, and hearken to me: and hold thy peace, whilst I speak.
Attend, O Job, hearken to me, Keep silent, and I — I do speak.
32 But if thou hast any thing to say, answer me, speak: for I would have thee to appear just.
If there are words — answer me, Speak, for I have a desire to justify thee.
33 And if thou have not, hear me: hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom.
If there are not — hearken thou to me, Keep silent, and I teach thee wisdom.