< Job 33 >

1 So now, Job, I beg you, hear my speech; listen to all my words.
Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear mine utterances, and hearken to all my words.
2 See now, I have opened my mouth; my tongue has spoken in my mouth.
Behold now, I have opened my mouth, my tongue speaketh in my palate,
3 My words come from the uprightness of my heart; my lips speak pure knowledge.
My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart, and my lips shall utter knowledge purely.
4 The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty has given me life.
The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
5 If you can, answer me; set your words in order before me and stand up.
If thou canst, answer me; array [thy words] before me: take thy stand.
6 See, I am just as you are in God's sight; I also have been formed out of the clay.
Behold, before God I am as thou; I also am formed out of the clay.
7 See, terror of me will not make you afraid; neither will my pressure be heavy upon you.
Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, nor my burden be heavy upon thee.
8 You have certainly spoken in my hearing; I have heard the sound of your words saying,
Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of [thy] words: —
9 'I am clean and without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no sin in me.
I am clean without transgression; I am pure, and there is no iniquity in me;
10 See, God finds opportunities to attack me; he regards me as his enemy.
Lo, he findeth occasions of hostility against me, he counteth me for his enemy;
11 He puts my feet in stocks; he watches all my paths.'
He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.
12 See, in this you are not right—I will answer you, for God is greater than man.
Behold, I will answer thee in this, thou art not right; for God is greater than man.
13 Why do you struggle against him? He does not account for any of his doings.
Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.
14 For God speaks once— yes, twice, though man does not notice it.
For God speaketh once, and twice, — [and man] perceiveth it not —
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, in slumber on the bed—
In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
16 then God opens the ears of men, and frightens them with threats,
Then he openeth men's ears, and sealeth their instruction,
17 in order to pull man back from his sinful purposes, and keep pride from him.
That he may withdraw man [from his] work, and hide pride from man.
18 God keeps man's life back from the pit, his life from crossing over to death.
He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from passing away by the sword.
19 Man is punished also with pain on his bed, with constant agony in his bones,
He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and with constant strife in his bones;
20 so that his life abhors food, and his soul abhors delicacies.
And his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty food;
21 His flesh is consumed away so that it cannot be seen; his bones, once not seen, now stick out.
His flesh is consumed away from view, and his bones that were not seen stick out;
22 Indeed, his soul draws close to the pit, his life to those who wish to destroy it.
And his soul draweth near to the pit, and his life to the destroyers.
23 But if there is an angel who can be a mediator for him, a mediator, one from among the thousands of angels, to show him what is right to do,
If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his duty;
24 and if the angel is kind to him and says to God, 'Save this person from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom for him,'
Then he will be gracious unto him, and say, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.
25 then his flesh will become fresher than a child's; he will return to the days of his youthful strength.
His flesh shall be fresher than in childhood; he shall return to the days of his youth.
26 He will pray to God, and God will be kind to him, so that he sees God's face with joy. God will give the person his triumph.
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 Then that person will sing in front of other people and say, 'I sinned and perverted that which was right, but my sin was not punished.
He will sing before men, and say, I have sinned, and perverted what was right, and it hath not been requited to me;
28 God has rescued my soul from going down into the pit; my life will continue to see light.'
He hath delivered my soul from going into the pit, and my life shall see the light.
29 See, God does all these things with a person, twice, yes, even three times,
Lo, all these [things] worketh God twice, thrice, with man,
30 to bring his soul back from the pit, so that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
To bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent and I will speak.
Mark well, Job, hearken unto me; be silent, and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me; speak, for I wish to prove that you are in the right.
If thou hast anything to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify thee.
33 If not, then listen to me; remain silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
If not, hearken thou unto me; be silent, and I will teach thee wisdom.

< Job 33 >