Job 33
1 Howbeit hear, Job, my words, and listen to my speech.
But, in very deed, hear, I pray thee, Job, my discourse, and, to all my words, give thou ear.
2 For behold, I have opened my mouth, and my tongue has spoken.
Lo! I pray thee, I have opened my mouth, My tongue, with my palate, hath spoken,
3 My heart [shall be found] pure by [my] words; and the understanding of my lips shall meditate purity.
Mine utterances come straight from mine own heart, and, what I know, my lips have truly spoken;
4 The Divine Spirit is that which formed me, and the breath of the Almighty that which teaches me.
The spirit of GOD, hath made me, and, the inspiration of the Almighty, giveth me life.
5 If you can, give me an answer: wait therefore; stand against me, and I [will stand] against you.
If thou art able to answer me, Set in order before me—take thy stand!
6 You are formed out of the clay as also I: we have been formed out of the same [substance].
Lo! I am like thyself toward GOD, From clay, have I been nipped off, even I!
7 My fear shall not terrify you, neither shall my hand be heavy upon you.
Lo! my terror, will not startle thee, nor, my hand, upon thee, be heavy.
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;
But thou hast spoken in mine ears, and, the sound of words, I heard: —
9 I am blameless, for I have not transgressed.
Pure am, I, without transgression, —Clean am, I, and have no iniquity;
10 Yet he has discovered a charge against me, and he has reckoned me as an adversary.
Lo! occasions of hostility, would he find against me, He counteth me an enemy to him;
11 And he has put my foot in the stocks, and has watched all my ways.
He putteth—in the stocks—my feet, He watcheth all my paths.
12 For how say you, I am righteous, yet he has not listened to me? for he that is above mortals is eternal.
Lo! in this, thou hast not been right—let me answer thee, For, GOD, is greater than, man.
13 But you say, Why has he not heard every word of my cause?
Wherefore, against him, hast thou contended? For, with none of his reasons, will he respond.
14 For when the Lord speaks once, or a second time,
For, in one way, GOD may speak, —and, in a second way, one may not heed it: —
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: )
In a dream, a vision of the night, when a deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed,
16 then opens he the understanding of men: he scares them with such fearful visions:
Then, uncovereth he the ear of men, and, on their correction, affixeth a seal;
17 to turn a man from unrighteousness, and he delivers his body from a fall.
To turn a son of earth from his deed, while yet, pride, from man he concealeth:
18 He spares also his soul from death, and [suffers] him not to fall in war.
He keepeth back his said from the pit, and his life from passing away by a weapon.
19 And again, he chastens him with sickness on his bed, and the multitude of his bones is benumbed.
Or he is chastised with pain, upon his bed, and, the strife of his bones, is unceasing!
20 And he shall not be able to take any food, though his soul shall desire meat;
So that his life maketh loathsome [his] food, and his soul, dainty meat;
21 until his flesh shall be consumed, and he shall show his bones bare.
His flesh wasteth away out of sight, and bared are the bones once unseen;
22 His soul also draws near to death, and his life is in Hades.
So doth his soul draw near to the pit, and his life to the inflicters of death:
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;
If there hath been near him a messenger who could interpret—one of a thousand, to declare to the son of earth His uprightness,
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.
Then hath he shewed him favour, and said, Set him free from going down to the pit, I have found a price of redemption!
25 And he will make his flesh tender as that of a babe, and he will restore him among men in [his] full strength.
His flesh hath been made fresher than a child’s, he hath returned to the days of his youth;
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.
He made supplication unto GOD, who hath accepted him, and he hath beheld his face with a shout of triumph, Thus hath he given back to man his righteousness.
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.
He sang before men, and said, I sinned, and, uprightness, I perverted, yet he requited me not;
28 Deliver my soul, that it may not go to destruction, and my life shall see the light.
He hath ransomed my soul from passing away into the pit, —and, my life, in the light, shall have vision.
29 Behold, all these things, the Mighty One works in a threefold manner with a man.
Lo! a these things, doth GOD work, two ways, three, with a man;
30 And he has delivered my soul from death, that my life may praise him in the light.
To bring back his soul from the pit, to enlighten with the light of the living.
31 Listen, Job, and hear me: be silent, and I will speak.
Mark well, O Job, and hearken to me, Be silent, and, I, will speak:
32 If you have words, answer me: speak, for I desire you to be justified.
If there is anything to say, reply to me, Speak, for I desire to justify thee;
33 If not, do you hear me: be silent, and I will teach you.
If not, do, thou, hearken unto me, Be silent, that I may teach thee wisdom.
