Job 33
1 Therefore do thou but hear, O Job, my speeches, and give ear to all my words.
“And yet, please, O Job, Hear my speech and give ear [to] all my words.
2 Behold now, I have opened my mouth, my tongue speaketh in my mouth.
Now behold, I have opened my mouth, My tongue has spoken in the palate.
3 Out of my straightforward heart [come] my sayings, and my lips utter knowledge clearly.
Of the uprightness of my heart [are] my sayings, And my lips have clearly spoken knowledge.
4 The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty giveth me life.
The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Mighty quickens me.
5 If thou canst, answer me, array thyself before me, stand forward.
If you are able—answer me, Set in array before me—station yourself.
6 Behold, I am in the same relation as thyself toward God: I myself also am cut out of the clay.
Behold, I [am], according to your word, for God, I have also been formed from the clay.
7 Behold, dread of me cannot terrify thee, and my pressure will not be too heavy upon thee.
Behold, my terror does not frighten you, And my burden on you is not heavy.
8 But thou hast said before my ears, and the sound of the words I still hear,
Surely you have spoken in my ears, And the sounds of words I hear:
9 “I am pure without transgression, I am quite clean; and there is no iniquity in me:
I [am] pure, without transgression, I [am] innocent, and I have no iniquity.
10 Yet, behold, he findeth hateful backsliding on me, he regardeth me as an enemy unto him;
Behold, He develops hindrances against me, He reckons me for an enemy to Him,
11 He putteth my feet in the stocks, he watcheth all my paths.”
He puts my feet in the stocks, He watches all my paths.
12 Behold, In this thou art not just: I will answer thee; for God is far greater than a mortal.
Behold, you have not been righteous [in] this, I answer you, that God is greater than man.
13 Why dost thou contend against him? for with all his words will he not give an answer.
Why have you striven against Him, When [for] all His matters He does not answer?
14 For God speaketh once, yea twice: [yet man] regardeth it not.
For once God speaks, and twice (he does not behold it),
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumbers upon the couch:
In a dream—a vision of night, In the falling of deep sleep on men, In slumberings on a bed.
16 Then doth he lay open the ear of men, and sealeth it with their warning;
Then He uncovers the ear of men, And seals for their instruction,
17 To remove the son of earth [from his intended] deed and he covereth up pride from man;
To turn aside man [from] doing, And He conceals pride from man.
18 He withholdeth his soul from the pit, and his life from passing away by the sword.
He keeps back his soul from corruption, And his life from passing away by a dart.
19 And so is he admonished by pain upon his couch, and all his bones with violent [aches].
And he has been reproved With pain on his bed, And the strife of his bones [is] enduring.
20 So that his inclination abhorreth bread, and his soul, the most agreeable food.
And his life has nauseated bread, And his soul desirable food.
21 His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out.
His flesh is consumed from being seen, And his bones are high, they were not seen!
22 Yea, his soul draweth near unto the pit, and his life to those that slay.
And his soul draws near to the pit, And his life to those causing death.
23 If there be now about him one single angel, as defender, one out of a thousand, to tell for man his uprightness:
If there is a messenger by him, An interpreter—one of a thousand, To declare for man his uprightness,
24 Then is he gracious unto him, and saith, Release him from going down to the pit, I have found an atonement.
Then He favors him and says, Ransom him from going down to the pit, I have found an atonement.
25 His flesh becometh full again as in youth: he returneth to the days of his boyhood.
Fresher [is] his flesh than a child’s, He returns to the days of his youth.
26 He will offer his entreaty unto God, and he will receive him in favor, that he may see his face with joy: so doth He recompense unto the mortal his righteousness.
He makes supplication to God, And He accepts him. And he sees His face with shouting, And He returns to man His righteousness.
27 He then should assemble men around, and say, “I had sinned, and perverted what is right, yet have I not received a like return.”
[Then] he looks on men and says, I sinned, and I have perverted uprightness, And it has not been profitable to me.
28 Thus he redeemeth his soul from passing into the pit, and his life will look joyously on the light.
He has ransomed my soul From going over into the pit, And my life looks on the light.
29 Lo, all these things doth God two or three times with man;
Behold, God works all these, Twice, [even] three times with man,
30 To bring back his soul from the pit, that she may shine in the light of life.
To bring back his soul from the pit, To be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 Listen well, O Job, hearken unto me: keep silence, and I will truly speak.
Attend, O Job, listen to me, Keep silent, and I speak.
32 If thou hast any words, answer me: speak, for I wish to justify thee.
If there are words—answer me, Speak, for I have a desire to justify you.
33 If not, hearken thou unto me: keep silence, and I will teach thee wisdom.
If there are not—listen to me, Keep silent, and I teach you wisdom.”
