Job 33
1 “But now, Job, listen carefully to all that I am going to say [DOU].
“However, Job, please hear my speech, and listen to all my words.
2 I am ready to tell you [MTY, DOU] [what I think].
See now, I have opened my mouth. My tongue has spoken in my mouth.
3 I know that I am speaking honestly and that I am speaking [MTY] sincerely.
My words will utter the uprightness of my heart. That which my lips know they will speak sincerely.
4 Almighty God has created me [as well as you], and his breath has caused me to live.
The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 So, answer [what] I [say] if you can; think carefully [about how you will reply to me].
If you can, answer me. Set your words in order before me, and stand up.
6 “God considers that you, and I are both [equal]; he formed both of us from clay.
Behold, I am toward God even as you are. I am also formed out of the clay.
7 So you do not need to be afraid of me; I will not crush/oppress you [by what I say] [MTY].
Behold, my terror will not make you afraid, neither will my pressure be heavy on you.
8 I have heard you [DOU] speaking, and this is what you have said:
“Surely you have spoken in my hearing, I have heard the voice of your words, saying,
9 ‘I am innocent; I have not committed any sins; I am pure; I have not done things that are wrong.
‘I am clean, without disobedience. I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me.
10 But God finds reasons to accuse me, and he considers that I am his enemy.
Behold, he finds occasions against me. He counts me for his enemy.
11 [It is as though] he has put my feet (in stocks/between wooden blocks to prevent me from walking away), and he watches everything that I do.’ [MTY]
He puts my feet in the stocks. He marks all my paths.’
12 But what you have said is wrong, and I will tell you [what you have said that is wrong]. God is much greater than any human.
“Behold, I will answer you. In this you are not just, for God is greater than man.
13 So, (why are you arguing against God, saying ‘He never answers my questions’?/you should not be arguing against God, saying ‘He never answers my questions.’) [RHQ]
Why do you strive against him, because he doesn’t give account of any of his matters?
14 God does speak [to us] in various ways, but we do not pay any attention to what he says.
For God speaks once, yes twice, though man pays no attention.
15 [Sometimes he speaks to us] at night in dreams and visions, when we are on our beds, asleep [DOU].
In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, in slumbering on the bed,
16 He reveals things [MTY] to us and terrifies us by the things he warns us about.
then he opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction,
17 He tell us those things in order that we stop doing [evil] things and to prevent us from becoming proud.
that he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.
18 He does not want us to be destroyed [MTY]; he wants to prevent us from dying [MTY] [while we are still young].
He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.
19 God also [sometimes] corrects us by forcing us to lie on our beds suffering much pain and with fever/aching in our bones.
“He is chastened also with pain on his bed, with continual strife in his bones,
20 The result is that we do not desire any food, not even very special food.
so that his life abhors bread, and his soul dainty food.
21 Our bodies become very thin, with the result that we look like skeletons [HYP], and our bones stick out.
His flesh is so consumed away that it can’t be seen. His bones that were not seen stick out.
22 [We know that] we will soon die and go to the place where dead people are.
Yes, his soul draws near to the pit, and his life to the destroyers.
23 “But sometimes an angel [may come to one of us], one of the thousands of angels who come to intervene between us and God, to tell us what are the right things for us [to do].
“If there is beside him an angel, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show to man what is right for him,
24 The angel is kind to us and says to God, ‘Release that person, so that he does not descend to the place where dead people are! Do that because I have found the money to pay so that he can be released!
then God is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.’
25 Allow his body to be strong again; allow him to be strong like he was when he was a youth!’
His flesh will be fresher than a child’s. He returns to the days of his youth.
26 When that happens, that person will pray to God, and God will accept/answer him; he will (enter God’s presence/worship God) joyfully, and then he will tell others how God saved him [from dying].
He prays to God, and he is favorable to him, so that he sees his face with joy. He restores to man his righteousness.
27 He will sing as he tells everyone, ‘I sinned, and I did things that were not right, but God did not punish me in the way that I deserved.
He sings before men, and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it didn’t profit me.
28 He has saved me from dying and going to the place where dead people are, and I will continue to enjoy being alive.’
He has redeemed my soul from going into the pit. My life will see the light.’
29 God does all these things for us many times;
“Behold, God does all these things, twice, yes three times, with a man,
30 he keeps us [SYN] from [dying and] going to the place where the dead are, in order that we can continue to enjoy being alive [IDM].
to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 So Job, listen to me; do not say anything more; just allow me to speak.
Mark well, Job, and listen to me. Hold your peace, and I will speak.
32 [After I speak], if you have something more that you want to say to me, say it, because I would like to find a way to declare that you (are innocent/have not done what is wrong).
If you have anything to say, answer me. Speak, for I desire to justify you.
33 But if you have nothing more that you want to say, then just listen to me, and I will teach you how to become wise.”
If not, listen to me. Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”
