Job 33
1 Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear my speech, and hearken to all my words.
Howbeit hear, Job, my words, and hearken to my speech.
2 Behold now, I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth.
For behold, I have opened my mouth, and my tongue has spoken.
3 My words shall utter the uprightness of my heart; and that which my lips know they shall speak sincerely.
My heart [shall be found] pure by [my] words; and the understanding of my lips shall meditate purity.
4 The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty given me life.
The Divine Spirit is that which formed me, and the breath of the Almighty that which teaches me.
5 If thou canst, answer thou me, set thy words in order before me, stand forth.
If thou canst, give me an answer: wait therefore; stand against me, and I [will stand] against thee.
6 Behold, I am toward God even as thou art; I also am formed out of the clay.
Thou art formed out of the clay as also I: we have been formed out of the same [substance].
7 Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my pressure be heavy upon thee.
My fear shall not terrify thee, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.
8 Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words;
But thou hast said in mine ears, (I have heard the voice of thy words; ) because thou sayest, I am pure, not having sinned;
9 'I am clean, without transgression, I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me;
I am blameless, for I have not transgressed.
10 Behold, He findeth occasions against me, He counteth me for His enemy;
Yet he has discovered a charge against me, and he has reckoned me as an adversary.
11 He putteth my feet in the stocks, He marketh all my paths.'
And he has put my foot in the stocks, and has watched all my ways.
12 Behold, I answer thee: In this thou art not right, that God is too great for man;
For how sayest thou, I am righteous, yet he has not hearkened to me? for he that is above mortals is eternal.
13 Why hast thou striven against Him? seeing that He will not answer any of his words.
But thou sayest, Why has he not heard every word of my cause?
14 For God speaketh in one way, yea in two, though man perceiveth it not.
For when the Lord speaks once, or a second time,
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
[sending] a dream, or in the meditation of the night; (as when a dreadful alarm happens to fall upon men, in slumberings on the bed: )
16 Then He openeth the ears of men, and by their chastisement sealeth the decree,
then opens he the understanding of men: he scares them with such fearful visions:
17 That men may put away their purpose, and that He may hide pride from man;
to turn a man from unrighteousness, and he delivers his body from a fall.
18 That He may keep back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.
He spares also his soul from death, and [suffers] him not to fall in war.
19 He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and all his bones grow stiff;
And again, he chastens him with sickness on his bed, and the multitude of his bones is benumbed.
20 So that his life maketh him to abhor bread, and his soul dainty food.
And he shall not be able to take any food, though his soul shall desire meat;
21 His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones corrode to unsightliness.
until his flesh shall be consumed, and he shall shew his bones bare.
22 Yea, his soul draweth near unto the pit, and his life to the destroyers.
His soul also draws nigh to death, and his life is in Hades.
23 If there be for him an angel, an intercessor, one among a thousand, to vouch for a man's uprightness;
Though there should be a thousand messengers of death, not one of them shall wound him: if he should purpose in his heart to turn to the Lord, and declare to man his fault, and shew his folly;
24 Then He is gracious unto him, and saith: 'Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.'
he will support him, that he should not perish, and will restore his body as [fresh] plaster upon a wall; and he will fill his bones with morrow.
25 His flesh is tenderer than a child's; he returneth to the days of his youth;
And he will make his flesh tender as that of a babe, and he will restore him among men in [his] full strength.
26 He prayeth unto God, and He is favourable unto him; so that he seeth His face with joy; and He restoreth unto man his righteousness.
And he shall pray to the Lord, and his prayer shall be accepted of him; he shall enter with a cheerful countenance, with a full expression [of praise]: for he will render to men [their] due.
27 He cometh before men, and saith: 'I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not.'
Even then a man shall blame himself, saying, What kind of things have I done? and he has not punished me according to the full amount of my sins.
28 So He redeemeth his soul from going into the pit, and his life beholdeth the light.
Deliver my soul, that it may not go to destruction, and my life shall see the light.
29 Lo, all these things doth God work, twice, yea thrice, with a man,
Behold, all these things, the Mighty One works in a threefold manner with a man.
30 To bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
And he has delivered my soul from death, that my life may praise him in the light.
31 Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me; hold thy peace, and I will speak.
Hearken, Job, and hear me: be silent, and I will speak.
32 If thou hast any thing to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify thee.
If thou hast words, answer me: speak, for I desire thee to be justified.
33 If not, hearken thou unto me; hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom.
If not, do thou hear me: be silent, and I will teach thee.
