Job 33
1 And yet, I pray thee, O Job, Hear my speech and [to] all my words give ear.
So now, Job, I beg you, hear my speech; listen to all my words.
2 Lo, I pray thee, I have opened my mouth, My tongue hath spoken in the palate.
See now, I have opened my mouth; my tongue has spoken in my mouth.
3 Of the uprightness of my heart [are] my sayings, And knowledge have my lips clearly spoken.
My words come from the uprightness of my heart; my lips speak pure knowledge.
4 The Spirit of God hath made me, And the breath of the Mighty doth quicken me.
The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty has given me life.
5 If thou art able — answer me, Set in array before me — station thyself.
If you can, answer me; set your words in order before me and stand up.
6 Lo, I [am], according to thy word, for God, From the clay I — I also, have been formed.
See, I am just as you are in God's sight; I also have been formed out of the clay.
7 Lo, my terror doth not frighten thee, And my burden on thee is not heavy.
See, terror of me will not make you afraid; neither will my pressure be heavy upon you.
8 Surely — thou hast said in mine ears, And the sounds of words I hear:
You have certainly spoken in my hearing; I have heard the sound of your words saying,
9 'Pure [am] I, without transgression, Innocent [am] I, and I have no iniquity.
'I am clean and without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no sin in me.
10 Lo, occasions against me He doth find, He doth reckon me for an enemy to Him,
See, God finds opportunities to attack me; he regards me as his enemy.
11 He doth put in the stocks my feet, He doth watch all my paths.'
He puts my feet in stocks; he watches all my paths.'
12 Lo, [in] this thou hast not been righteous, I answer thee, that greater is God than man.
See, in this you are not right—I will answer you, for God is greater than man.
13 Wherefore against Him hast thou striven, When [for] all His matters He answereth not?
Why do you struggle against him? He does not account for any of his doings.
14 For once doth God speak, and twice, (He doth not behold it.)
For God speaks once— yes, twice, though man does not notice it.
15 In a dream — a vision of night, In the falling of deep sleep on men, In slumberings on a bed.
In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, in slumber on the bed—
16 Then He uncovereth the ear of men, And for their instruction sealeth:
then God opens the ears of men, and frightens them with threats,
17 To turn aside man [from] doing, And pride from man He concealeth.
in order to pull man back from his sinful purposes, and keep pride from him.
18 He keepeth back his soul from corruption, And his life from passing away by a dart.
God keeps man's life back from the pit, his life from crossing over to death.
19 And he hath been reproved With pain on his bed, And the strife of his bones [is] enduring.
Man is punished also with pain on his bed, with constant agony in his bones,
20 And his life hath nauseated bread, And his soul desirable food.
so that his life abhors food, and his soul abhors delicacies.
21 His flesh is consumed from being seen, And high are his bones, they were not seen!
His flesh is consumed away so that it cannot be seen; his bones, once not seen, now stick out.
22 And draw near to the pit doth his soul, And his life to those causing death.
Indeed, his soul draws close to the pit, his life to those who wish to destroy it.
23 If there is by him a messenger, An interpreter — one of a thousand, To declare for man his uprightness:
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,
24 Then He doth favour him and saith, 'Ransom him from going down to the pit, I have found an atonement.'
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,'
25 Fresher [is] his flesh than a child's, He returneth to the days of his youth.
then his flesh will become fresher than a child's; he will return to the days of his youthful 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.
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.
27 He looketh on men, and saith, 'I sinned, And uprightness I have perverted, And it hath not been profitable to me.
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.
28 He hath ransomed my soul From going over into the pit, And my life on the light looketh.'
God has rescued my soul from going down into the pit; my life will continue to see light.'
29 Lo, all these doth God work, Twice — thrice with man,
See, God does all these things with a person, twice, yes, even three times,
30 To bring back his soul from the pit, To be enlightened with the light of the living.
to bring his soul back from the pit, so that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
31 Attend, O Job, hearken to me, Keep silent, and I — I do speak.
Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent and I will speak.
32 If there are words — answer me, Speak, for I have a desire to justify thee.
If you have anything to say, answer me; speak, for I wish to prove that you are in the right.
33 If there are not — hearken thou to me, Keep silent, and I teach thee wisdom.
If not, then listen to me; remain silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
