Job 33
1 Now listen to me, Job. Pay attention to everything I have to say.
However, Job, I pray thee, hear my speech, and hearken to all my words.
2 Look, I'm about to speak; my mouth is ready to talk.
Behold now, I have opened my mouth. My tongue has spoken in my mouth.
3 My words come from my upright heart; my lips speak sincerely of what I know.
My words shall utter the uprightness of my heart, and that which my lips know they shall speak sincerely.
4 The spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 Answer me, if you can. Stand in front of me and prepare to defend yourself.
If thou can, answer thou me. Set thy words in order before me. Stand forth.
6 Look, before God we are both the same. I was also made from a piece of clay.
Behold, I am toward God even as thou are. I also am formed out of the clay.
7 See here, you don't need to be frightened of me. I won't be too hard on you.
Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, nor shall my pressure be heavy upon thee.
8 You spoke in my hearing and I have listened to everything you had to say.
Surely thou have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,
9 You say, ‘I'm clean, I've done nothing wrong; I'm pure, I have not sinned.
I am clean, without transgression. I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me.
10 See how God finds fault with me and treats me as his enemy.
Thou say, Behold, he finds occasions against me. He counts me for his enemy.
11 He puts my feet in the stocks and watches everything I do.’
He puts my feet in the stocks. He marks all my paths.
12 But look, you are wrong—let me explain. God is greater than any human being.
Behold, I will answer thee. In this thou are not just, for God is greater than man.
13 Why are you fighting against him, complaining that God isn't answering your questions?
Why do thou strive against him because he does not give account of any of his matters?
14 God speaks over and over again, but people don't notice.
For God speaks once, yea twice, though man does not regard it.
15 Through dreams and visions in the night, when people fall into deep sleep, resting on their beds,
In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, in slumberings upon the bed.
16 God speaks to them with solemn warnings
Then he opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction
17 to turn them away from doing wrong and to stop them from becoming proud.
that he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.
18 He saves them from the grave and spares them from violent death.
He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.
19 People are also disciplined on a bed of pain with constant aching in their bones.
He also is chastened with pain upon his bed, and with continual strife in his bones,
20 They have no desire to eat; they do not even want their favorite dishes.
so that his life abhors bread, and his soul dainty food.
21 Their flesh wastes away to nothing; all that's left is skin and bones.
His flesh is consumed away that it cannot be seen. And his bones that were not seen stick out.
22 They are close to death; their lives approaching the executioner.
Yea, his soul draws near to the pit, and his life to the destroyers.
23 But if an angel appears, a mediator, one of God's thousands of angels, to tell someone the right way for them,
If there be with him an agent, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show to man what is right for him,
24 he will be gracious to them. He will say, ‘Save them from going down into the grave, for I have found a way to free them.’
then God is gracious to him, and says, Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom.
25 Then their bodies will be renewed as if they were young again; they will be as strong as when they were in their prime.
His flesh shall be fresher than a child's. He returns to the days of his youth.
26 They will pray to God, and he will accept them; they come into God's presence with joy, and he will set things right for them.
He prays to God, and he is favorable to him, so that he sees his face with joy, and he restores to man his righteousness.
27 They sing, and tell others, ‘I sinned, I distorted what is right, but it did not do me any good.
He sings before men, and says, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it did not profit me.
28 He saved me from going down into the grave and I will live in the light.’
He has redeemed my soul from going into the pit, and my life shall behold the light.
29 Look, God does this time and again for people;
Lo, all these things God works twice, yea thrice, with a man,
30 he saves them from the grave so they might see the light of life.
to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 Pay attention Job, and listen to me! Be quiet—let me speak!
Mark well, O Job, hearken to me. Keep silent, and I will speak.
32 But if you have anything to say, then speak up.
If thou have anything to say, answer me. Speak, for I desire to justify thee.
33 If not, listen to me. Keep quiet and I will teach you wisdom.”
If not, hearken thou to me. Keep silent, and I will teach thee.
