Job 33
1 “However, Job, please hear my speech, and listen to all my words.
Now listen to me, Job. Pay attention to everything I have to say.
2 See now, I have opened my mouth. My tongue has spoken in my mouth.
Look, I'm about to speak; my mouth is ready to talk.
3 My words will utter the uprightness of my heart. That which my lips know they will speak sincerely.
My words come from my upright heart; my lips speak sincerely of what I know.
4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
The spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 If you can, answer me. Set your words in order before me, and stand up.
Answer me, if you can. Stand in front of me and prepare to defend yourself.
6 Behold, I am toward God even as you are. I am also formed out of the clay.
Look, before God we are both the same. I was also made from a piece of clay.
7 Behold, my terror will not make you afraid, neither will my pressure be heavy on you.
See here, you don't need to be frightened of me. I won't be too hard on you.
8 “Surely you have spoken in my hearing, I have heard the voice of your words, saying,
You spoke in my hearing and I have listened to everything you had to say.
9 ‘I am clean, without disobedience. I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me.
You say, ‘I'm clean, I've done nothing wrong; I'm pure, I have not sinned.
10 Behold, he finds occasions against me. He counts me for his enemy.
See how God finds fault with me and treats me as his enemy.
11 He puts my feet in the stocks. He marks all my paths.’
He puts my feet in the stocks and watches everything I do.’
12 “Behold, I will answer you. In this you are not just, for God is greater than man.
But look, you are wrong—let me explain. God is greater than any human being.
13 Why do you strive against him, because he doesn’t give account of any of his matters?
Why are you fighting against him, complaining that God isn't answering your questions?
14 For God speaks once, yes twice, though man pays no attention.
God speaks over and over again, but people don't notice.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, in slumbering on the bed,
Through dreams and visions in the night, when people fall into deep sleep, resting on their beds,
16 then he opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction,
God speaks to them with solemn warnings
17 that he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.
to turn them away from doing wrong and to stop them from becoming proud.
18 He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.
He saves them from the grave and spares them from violent death.
19 “He is chastened also with pain on his bed, with continual strife in his bones,
People are also disciplined on a bed of pain with constant aching in their bones.
20 so that his life abhors bread, and his soul dainty food.
They have no desire to eat; they do not even want their favorite dishes.
21 His flesh is so consumed away that it can’t be seen. His bones that were not seen stick out.
Their flesh wastes away to nothing; all that's left is skin and bones.
22 Yes, his soul draws near to the pit, and his life to the destroyers.
They are close to death; their lives approaching the executioner.
23 “If there is beside him an angel, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show to man what is right for him,
But if an angel appears, a mediator, one of God's thousands of angels, to tell someone the right way for them,
24 then God is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.’
he will be gracious to them. He will say, ‘Save them from going down into the grave, for I have found a way to free them.’
25 His flesh will be fresher than a child’s. He returns to the days of his youth.
Then their bodies will be renewed as if they were young again; they will be as strong as when they were in their prime.
26 He prays to God, and he is favorable to him, so that he sees his face with joy. He restores to man his righteousness.
They will pray to God, and he will accept them; they come into God's presence with joy, and he will set things right for them.
27 He sings before men, and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it didn’t profit me.
They sing, and tell others, ‘I sinned, I distorted what is right, but it did not do me any good.
28 He has redeemed my soul from going into the pit. My life will see the light.’
He saved me from going down into the grave and I will live in the light.’
29 “Behold, God does all these things, twice, yes three times, with a man,
Look, God does this time and again for people;
30 to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
he saves them from the grave so they might see the light of life.
31 Mark well, Job, and listen to me. Hold your peace, and I will speak.
Pay attention Job, and listen to me! Be quiet—let me speak!
32 If you have anything to say, answer me. Speak, for I desire to justify you.
But if you have anything to say, then speak up.
33 If not, listen to me. Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”
If not, listen to me. Keep quiet and I will teach you wisdom.”
