Job 33
1 “And yet, please, O Job, Hear my speech and give ear [to] all my words.
Hear, therefore, my discourse, I pray thee, O Job! And attend unto all my words!
2 Now behold, I have opened my mouth, My tongue has spoken in the palate.
Behold, I am opening my mouth; My tongue is now speaking in my palate.
3 Of the uprightness of my heart [are] my sayings, And my lips have clearly spoken knowledge.
My words shall be in the uprightness of my heart; My lips shall utter knowledge purely.
4 The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Mighty quickens me.
The spirit of God made me, And the breath of the Almighty gave me life.
5 If you are able—answer me, Set in array before me—station yourself.
If thou art able, answer me; Set thyself in array against me; stand up!
6 Behold, I [am], according to your word, for God, I have also been formed from the clay.
Behold, I, like thee, am a creature of God; I also was formed of clay.
7 Behold, my terror does not frighten you, And my burden on you is not heavy.
Behold, my terror cannot dismay thee, Nor can my greatness be heavy upon thee.
8 Surely you have spoken in my ears, And the sounds of words I hear:
Surely thou hast said in my hearing, I have heard the sound of thy words:
9 I [am] pure, without transgression, I [am] innocent, and I have no iniquity.
“I am pure, and without transgression; I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Behold, He develops hindrances against me, He reckons me for an enemy to Him,
Behold, He seeketh causes of hostility against me; He regardeth me as his enemy.
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 right; I will answer thee; For God is greater than man.
13 Why have you striven against Him, When [for] all His matters He does not answer?
Why dost thou contend with Him? For he giveth no account of any of his doings.
14 For once God speaks, and twice (he does not behold it),
For God speaketh once, Yea, twice, when 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 slumber upon the bed;
16 Then He uncovers the ear of men, And seals for their instruction,
Then openeth he the ears of men, And sealeth up for them admonition;
17 To turn aside man [from] doing, And He conceals pride from man.
That he may turn man from his purpose, And hide pride from man.
18 He keeps back his soul from corruption, And his life from passing away by a dart.
Thus he saveth him from the pit, Yea, his life from perishing by the sword.
19 And he has been reproved With pain on his bed, And the strife of his bones [is] enduring.
He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, And with a continual agitation of his bones,
20 And his life has nauseated bread, And his soul desirable food.
So that his mouth abhorreth bread, And his taste the choicest food;
21 His flesh is consumed from being seen, And his bones are high, they were not seen!
His flesh is consumed, that it cannot be seen, And his bones, that were invisible, are naked;
22 And his soul draws near to the pit, And his life to those causing death.
Yea, his soul draweth near to the pit, And his life to the destroyers.
23 If there is a messenger by him, An interpreter—one of a thousand, To declare for man his uprightness,
But if there be with him a messenger, An interpreter, one of a thousand, Who may show unto man his duty,
24 Then He favors him and says, Ransom him from going down to the pit, I have found an atonement.
Then will God be gracious to him, and say, “Save him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.”
25 Fresher [is] his flesh than a child’s, He returns to the days of his youth.
His flesh shall became fresher than a child's; He shall return to the days of his youth.
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 shall pray to God, and he will be favorable to him, And permit him to see his face with joy, And restore unto man 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 shall sing among men, and say, “I sinned; I acted perversely; Yet hath he not requited me for it:
28 He has ransomed my soul From going over into the pit, And my life looks on the light.
He hath delivered me from going down to the pit, And my life beholdeth the light.”
29 Behold, God works all these, Twice, [even] three times with man,
Lo! all these things doeth God Time after time with man,
30 To bring back his soul from the pit, To be enlightened with the light of the living.
That he may bring him back from the pit, That he may enjoy the light of the living.
31 Attend, O Job, listen to me, Keep silent, and I speak.
Mark well, O Job! hearken to me! Keep silence, and I will speak.
32 If there are words—answer me, Speak, for I have a desire to justify you.
Yet if thou hast any thing to say, answer me! Speak! for I desire to pronounce thee innocent.
33 If there are not—listen to me, Keep silent, and I teach you wisdom.”
But if not, do thou listen to me! Keep silence, and I will teach thee wisdom!
