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