Job 33
1 But, in very deed, hear, I pray thee, Job, my discourse, and, to all my words, give thou ear.
“And yet, please, O Job, Hear my speech and give ear [to] all my words.
2 Lo! I pray thee, I have opened my mouth, My tongue, with my palate, hath spoken,
Now behold, I have opened my mouth, My tongue has spoken in the palate.
3 Mine utterances come straight from mine own heart, and, what I know, my lips have truly spoken;
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 inspiration of the Almighty, giveth me life.
The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Mighty quickens me.
5 If thou art able to answer me, Set in order before me—take thy stand!
If you are able—answer me, Set in array before me—station yourself.
6 Lo! I am like thyself toward GOD, From clay, have I been nipped off, even I!
Behold, I [am], according to your word, for God, I have also been formed from the clay.
7 Lo! my terror, will not startle thee, nor, my hand, upon thee, be heavy.
Behold, my terror does not frighten you, And my burden on you is not heavy.
8 But thou hast spoken in mine ears, and, the sound of words, I heard: —
Surely you have spoken in my ears, And the sounds of words I hear:
9 Pure am, I, without transgression, —Clean am, I, and have no iniquity;
I [am] pure, without transgression, I [am] innocent, and I have no iniquity.
10 Lo! occasions of hostility, would he find against me, He counteth me an enemy to him;
Behold, He develops hindrances against me, He reckons me for an enemy to Him,
11 He putteth—in the stocks—my feet, He watcheth all my paths.
He puts my feet in the stocks, He watches all my paths.
12 Lo! in this, thou hast not been right—let me answer thee, For, GOD, is greater than, man.
Behold, you have not been righteous [in] this, I answer you, that God is greater than man.
13 Wherefore, against him, hast thou contended? For, with none of his reasons, will he respond.
Why have you striven against Him, When [for] all His matters He does not answer?
14 For, in one way, GOD may speak, —and, in a second way, one may not heed it: —
For once God speaks, and twice (he does not behold it),
15 In a dream, a vision of the night, when a deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed,
In a dream—a vision of night, In the falling of deep sleep on men, In slumberings on a bed.
16 Then, uncovereth he the ear of men, and, on their correction, affixeth a seal;
Then He uncovers the ear of men, And seals for their instruction,
17 To turn a son of earth from his deed, while yet, pride, from man he concealeth:
To turn aside man [from] doing, And He conceals pride from man.
18 He keepeth back his said from the pit, and his life from passing away by a weapon.
He keeps back his soul from corruption, And his life from passing away by a dart.
19 Or he is chastised with pain, upon his bed, and, the strife of his bones, is unceasing!
And he has been reproved With pain on his bed, And the strife of his bones [is] enduring.
20 So that his life maketh loathsome [his] food, and his soul, dainty meat;
And his life has nauseated bread, And his soul desirable food.
21 His flesh wasteth away out of sight, and bared are the bones once unseen;
His flesh is consumed from being seen, And his bones are high, they were not seen!
22 So doth his soul draw near to the pit, and his life to the inflicters of death:
And his soul draws near to the pit, And his life to those causing death.
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 is a messenger by him, An interpreter—one of a thousand, To declare for man his uprightness,
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 favors him and says, Ransom him from going down to the pit, I have found an atonement.
25 His flesh hath been made fresher than a child’s, he hath returned to the days of his youth;
Fresher [is] his flesh than a child’s, He returns 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 makes supplication to God, And He accepts him. And he sees His face with shouting, And He returns to man His righteousness.
27 He sang before men, and said, I sinned, and, uprightness, I perverted, yet he requited me not;
[Then] he looks on men and says, I sinned, and I have perverted uprightness, And it has not been profitable to me.
28 He hath ransomed my soul from passing away into the pit, —and, my life, in the light, shall have vision.
He has ransomed my soul From going over into the pit, And my life looks on the light.
29 Lo! a these things, doth GOD work, two ways, three, with a man;
Behold, God works all these, Twice, [even] three times 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, To be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 Mark well, O Job, and hearken to me, Be silent, and, I, will speak:
Attend, O Job, listen to me, Keep silent, and I speak.
32 If there is anything to say, reply to me, Speak, for I desire to justify thee;
If there are words—answer me, Speak, for I have a desire to justify you.
33 If not, do, thou, hearken unto me, Be silent, that I may teach thee wisdom.
If there are not—listen to me, Keep silent, and I teach you wisdom.”
