Job 33
1 Howbeit hear, Job, my words, and listen to my speech.
Now listen to me, Job. Pay attention to everything I have to say.
2 For behold, I have opened my mouth, and my tongue has spoken.
Look, I'm about to speak; my mouth is ready to talk.
3 My heart [shall be found] pure by [my] words; and the understanding of my lips shall meditate purity.
My words come from my upright heart; my lips speak sincerely of what I know.
4 The Divine Spirit is that which formed me, and the breath of the Almighty that which teaches me.
The spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 If you can, give me an answer: wait therefore; stand against me, and I [will stand] against you.
Answer me, if you can. Stand in front of me and prepare to defend yourself.
6 You are formed out of the clay as also I: we have been formed out of the same [substance].
Look, before God we are both the same. I was also made from a piece of clay.
7 My fear shall not terrify you, neither shall my hand be heavy upon you.
See here, you don't need to be frightened of me. I won't be too hard on you.
8 But you have said in mine ears, (I have heard the voice of your words; ) because you say, I am pure, not having sinned;
You spoke in my hearing and I have listened to everything you had to say.
9 I am blameless, for I have not transgressed.
You say, ‘I'm clean, I've done nothing wrong; I'm pure, I have not sinned.
10 Yet he has discovered a charge against me, and he has reckoned me as an adversary.
See how God finds fault with me and treats me as his enemy.
11 And he has put my foot in the stocks, and has watched all my ways.
He puts my feet in the stocks and watches everything I do.’
12 For how say you, I am righteous, yet he has not listened to me? for he that is above mortals is eternal.
But look, you are wrong—let me explain. God is greater than any human being.
13 But you say, Why has he not heard every word of my cause?
Why are you fighting against him, complaining that God isn't answering your questions?
14 For when the Lord speaks once, or a second time,
God speaks over and over again, but people don't notice.
15 [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: )
Through dreams and visions in the night, when people fall into deep sleep, resting on their beds,
16 then opens he the understanding of men: he scares them with such fearful visions:
God speaks to them with solemn warnings
17 to turn a man from unrighteousness, and he delivers his body from a fall.
to turn them away from doing wrong and to stop them from becoming proud.
18 He spares also his soul from death, and [suffers] him not to fall in war.
He saves them from the grave and spares them from violent death.
19 And again, he chastens him with sickness on his bed, and the multitude of his bones is benumbed.
People are also disciplined on a bed of pain with constant aching in their bones.
20 And he shall not be able to take any food, though his soul shall desire meat;
They have no desire to eat; they do not even want their favorite dishes.
21 until his flesh shall be consumed, and he shall show his bones bare.
Their flesh wastes away to nothing; all that's left is skin and bones.
22 His soul also draws near to death, and his life is in Hades.
They are close to death; their lives approaching the executioner.
23 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 show his folly;
But if an angel appears, a mediator, one of God's thousands of angels, to tell someone the right way for them,
24 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.
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.’
25 And he will make his flesh tender as that of a babe, and he will restore him among men in [his] full strength.
Then their bodies will be renewed as if they were young again; they will be as strong as when they were in their prime.
26 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.
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.
27 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.
They sing, and tell others, ‘I sinned, I distorted what is right, but it did not do me any good.
28 Deliver my soul, that it may not go to destruction, and my life shall see the light.
He saved me from going down into the grave and I will live in the light.’
29 Behold, all these things, the Mighty One works in a threefold manner with a man.
Look, God does this time and again for people;
30 And he has delivered my soul from death, that my life may praise him in the light.
he saves them from the grave so they might see the light of life.
31 Listen, Job, and hear me: be silent, and I will speak.
Pay attention Job, and listen to me! Be quiet—let me speak!
32 If you have words, answer me: speak, for I desire you to be justified.
But if you have anything to say, then speak up.
33 If not, do you hear me: be silent, and I will teach you.
If not, listen to me. Keep quiet and I will teach you wisdom.”
