< Job 33 >

1 But, in very deed, hear, I pray thee, Job, my discourse, and, to all my words, give thou ear.
Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear mine utterances, and hearken to all my words.
2 Lo! I pray thee, I have opened my mouth, My tongue, with my palate, hath spoken,
Behold now, I have opened my mouth, my tongue speaketh in my palate,
3 Mine utterances come straight from mine own heart, and, what I know, my lips have truly spoken;
My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart, and my lips shall utter knowledge purely.
4 The spirit of GOD, hath made me, and, the inspiration of the Almighty, giveth me life.
The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
5 If thou art able to answer me, Set in order before me—take thy stand!
If thou canst, answer me; array [thy words] before me: take thy stand.
6 Lo! I am like thyself toward GOD, From clay, have I been nipped off, even I!
Behold, before God I am as thou; I also am formed out of the clay.
7 Lo! my terror, will not startle thee, nor, my hand, upon thee, be heavy.
Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, nor my burden be heavy upon thee.
8 But thou hast spoken in mine ears, and, the sound of words, I heard: —
Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of [thy] words: —
9 Pure am, I, without transgression, —Clean am, I, and have no iniquity;
I am clean without transgression; I am pure, and there is no iniquity in me;
10 Lo! occasions of hostility, would he find against me, He counteth me an enemy to him;
Lo, he findeth occasions of hostility against me, he counteth me for his enemy;
11 He putteth—in the stocks—my feet, He watcheth all my paths.
He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.
12 Lo! in this, thou hast not been right—let me answer thee, For, GOD, is greater than, man.
Behold, I will answer thee in this, thou art not right; for God is greater than man.
13 Wherefore, against him, hast thou contended? For, with none of his reasons, will he respond.
Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.
14 For, in one way, GOD may speak, —and, in a second way, one may not heed it: —
For God speaketh once, and twice, — [and man] perceiveth it not —
15 In a dream, a vision of the night, when a deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed,
In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
16 Then, uncovereth he the ear of men, and, on their correction, affixeth a seal;
Then he openeth men's ears, and sealeth their instruction,
17 To turn a son of earth from his deed, while yet, pride, from man he concealeth:
That he may withdraw man [from his] work, and hide pride from man.
18 He keepeth back his said from the pit, and his life from passing away by a weapon.
He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from passing away by the sword.
19 Or he is chastised with pain, upon his bed, and, the strife of his bones, is unceasing!
He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and with constant strife in his bones;
20 So that his life maketh loathsome [his] food, and his soul, dainty meat;
And his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty food;
21 His flesh wasteth away out of sight, and bared are the bones once unseen;
His flesh is consumed away from view, and his bones that were not seen stick out;
22 So doth his soul draw near to the pit, and his life to the inflicters of death:
And his soul draweth near to the pit, and his life to the destroyers.
23 If there hath been near him a messenger who could interpret—one of a thousand, to declare to the son of earth His uprightness,
If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his duty;
24 Then hath he shewed him favour, and said, Set him free from going down to the pit, I have found a price of redemption!
Then he will be gracious unto him, and say, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.
25 His flesh hath been made fresher than a child’s, he hath returned to the days of his youth;
His flesh shall be fresher than in childhood; he shall return to the days of his youth.
26 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.
He shall pray unto God, and he will receive him with favour; and he shall see his face with shoutings, and he will render unto man his righteousness.
27 He sang before men, and said, I sinned, and, uprightness, I perverted, yet he requited me not;
He will sing before men, and say, I have sinned, and perverted what was right, and it hath not been requited to me;
28 He hath ransomed my soul from passing away into the pit, —and, my life, in the light, shall have vision.
He hath delivered my soul from going into the pit, and my life shall see the light.
29 Lo! a these things, doth GOD work, two ways, three, with a man;
Lo, all these [things] worketh God twice, thrice, with man,
30 To bring back his soul from the pit, to enlighten with the light of the living.
To bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 Mark well, O Job, and hearken to me, Be silent, and, I, will speak:
Mark well, Job, hearken unto me; be silent, and I will speak.
32 If there is anything to say, reply to me, Speak, for I desire to justify thee;
If thou hast anything to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify thee.
33 If not, do, thou, hearken unto me, Be silent, that I may teach thee wisdom.
If not, hearken thou unto me; be silent, and I will teach thee wisdom.

< Job 33 >