Job 33
1 And yet, I pray thee, O Job, Hear my speech and [to] all my words give ear.
Howbeit hear, Job, my words, and hearken to my speech.
2 Lo, I pray thee, I have opened my mouth, My tongue hath spoken in the palate.
For behold, I have opened my mouth, and my tongue has spoken.
3 Of the uprightness of my heart [are] my sayings, And knowledge have my lips clearly spoken.
My heart [shall be found] pure by [my] words; and the understanding of my lips shall meditate purity.
4 The Spirit of God hath made me, And the breath of the Mighty doth quicken me.
The Divine Spirit is that which formed me, and the breath of the Almighty that which teaches me.
5 If thou art able — answer me, Set in array before me — station thyself.
If thou canst, give me an answer: wait therefore; stand against me, and I [will stand] against thee.
6 Lo, I [am], according to thy word, for God, From the clay I — I also, have been formed.
Thou art formed out of the clay as also I: we have been formed out of the same [substance].
7 Lo, my terror doth not frighten thee, And my burden on thee is not heavy.
My fear shall not terrify thee, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.
8 Surely — thou hast said in mine ears, And the sounds of words I hear:
But thou hast said in mine ears, (I have heard the voice of thy words; ) because thou sayest, I am pure, not having sinned;
9 'Pure [am] I, without transgression, Innocent [am] I, and I have no iniquity.
I am blameless, for I have not transgressed.
10 Lo, occasions against me He doth find, He doth reckon me for an enemy to Him,
Yet he has discovered a charge against me, and he has reckoned me as an adversary.
11 He doth put in the stocks my feet, He doth watch all my paths.'
And he has put my foot in the stocks, and has watched all my ways.
12 Lo, [in] this thou hast not been righteous, I answer thee, that greater is God than man.
For how sayest thou, I am righteous, yet he has not hearkened to me? for he that is above mortals is eternal.
13 Wherefore against Him hast thou striven, When [for] all His matters He answereth not?
But thou sayest, Why has he not heard every word of my cause?
14 For once doth God speak, and twice, (He doth not behold it.)
For when the Lord speaks once, or a second time,
15 In a dream — a vision of night, In the falling of deep sleep on men, In slumberings on a bed.
[sending] a dream, or in the meditation of the night; (as when a dreadful alarm happens to fall upon men, in slumberings on the bed: )
16 Then He uncovereth the ear of men, And for their instruction sealeth:
then opens he the understanding of men: he scares them with such fearful visions:
17 To turn aside man [from] doing, And pride from man He concealeth.
to turn a man from unrighteousness, and he delivers his body from a fall.
18 He keepeth back his soul from corruption, And his life from passing away by a dart.
He spares also his soul from death, and [suffers] him not to fall in war.
19 And he hath been reproved With pain on his bed, And the strife of his bones [is] enduring.
And again, he chastens him with sickness on his bed, and the multitude of his bones is benumbed.
20 And his life hath nauseated bread, And his soul desirable food.
And he shall not be able to take any food, though his soul shall desire meat;
21 His flesh is consumed from being seen, And high are his bones, they were not seen!
until his flesh shall be consumed, and he shall shew his bones bare.
22 And draw near to the pit doth his soul, And his life to those causing death.
His soul also draws nigh to death, and his life is in Hades.
23 If there is by him a messenger, An interpreter — one of a thousand, To declare for man his uprightness:
Though there should be a thousand messengers of death, not one of them shall wound him: if he should purpose in his heart to turn to the Lord, and declare to man his fault, and shew his folly;
24 Then He doth favour him and saith, 'Ransom him from going down to the pit, I have found an atonement.'
he will support him, that he should not perish, and will restore his body as [fresh] plaster upon a wall; and he will fill his bones with morrow.
25 Fresher [is] his flesh than a child's, He returneth to the days of his youth.
And he will make his flesh tender as that of a babe, and he will restore him among men in [his] full strength.
26 He maketh supplication unto God, And He accepteth him. And he seeth His face with shouting, And He returneth to man His righteousness.
And he shall pray to the Lord, and his prayer shall be accepted of him; he shall enter with a cheerful countenance, with a full expression [of praise]: for he will render to men [their] due.
27 He looketh on men, and saith, 'I sinned, And uprightness I have perverted, And it hath not been profitable to me.
Even then a man shall blame himself, saying, What kind of things have I done? and he has not punished me according to the full amount of my sins.
28 He hath ransomed my soul From going over into the pit, And my life on the light looketh.'
Deliver my soul, that it may not go to destruction, and my life shall see the light.
29 Lo, all these doth God work, Twice — thrice with man,
Behold, all these things, the Mighty One works in a threefold manner with a man.
30 To bring back his soul from the pit, To be enlightened with the light of the living.
And he has delivered my soul from death, that my life may praise him in the light.
31 Attend, O Job, hearken to me, Keep silent, and I — I do speak.
Hearken, Job, and hear me: be silent, and I will speak.
32 If there are words — answer me, Speak, for I have a desire to justify thee.
If thou hast words, answer me: speak, for I desire thee to be justified.
33 If there are not — hearken thou to me, Keep silent, and I teach thee wisdom.
If not, do thou hear me: be silent, and I will teach thee.
