< Job 33 >
1 audi igitur Iob eloquia mea et omnes sermones meos ausculta
Now listen to me, Job. Pay attention to everything I have to say.
2 ecce aperui os meum loquatur lingua mea in faucibus meis
Look, I'm about to speak; my mouth is ready to talk.
3 simplici corde meo sermones mei et sententiam labia mea puram loquentur
My words come from my upright heart; my lips speak sincerely of what I know.
4 spiritus Dei fecit me et spiraculum Omnipotentis vivificavit me
The spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 si potes responde mihi et adversus faciem meam consiste
Answer me, if you can. Stand in front of me and prepare to defend yourself.
6 ecce et me sicut et te fecit Deus et de eodem luto ego quoque formatus sum
Look, before God we are both the same. I was also made from a piece of clay.
7 verumtamen miraculum meum non te terreat et eloquentia mea non sit tibi gravis
See here, you don't need to be frightened of me. I won't be too hard on you.
8 dixisti ergo in auribus meis et vocem verborum audivi
You spoke in my hearing and I have listened to everything you had to say.
9 mundus sum ego absque delicto inmaculatus et non est iniquitas in me
You say, ‘I'm clean, I've done nothing wrong; I'm pure, I have not sinned.
10 quia querellas in me repperit ideo arbitratus est me inimicum sibi
See how God finds fault with me and treats me as his enemy.
11 posuit in nervo pedes meos custodivit omnes semitas meas
He puts my feet in the stocks and watches everything I do.’
12 hoc est ergo in quo non es iustificatus respondebo tibi quia maior sit Deus homine
But look, you are wrong—let me explain. God is greater than any human being.
13 adversum eum contendis quod non ad omnia verba responderit tibi
Why are you fighting against him, complaining that God isn't answering your questions?
14 semel loquitur Deus et secundo id ipsum non repetit
God speaks over and over again, but people don't notice.
15 per somnium in visione nocturna quando inruit sopor super homines et dormiunt in lectulo
Through dreams and visions in the night, when people fall into deep sleep, resting on their beds,
16 tunc aperit aures virorum et erudiens eos instruit disciplinam
God speaks to them with solemn warnings
17 ut avertat hominem ab his quae facit et liberet eum de superbia
to turn them away from doing wrong and to stop them from becoming proud.
18 eruens animam eius a corruptione et vitam illius ut non transeat in gladium
He saves them from the grave and spares them from violent death.
19 increpat quoque per dolorem in lectulo et omnia ossa eius marcescere facit
People are also disciplined on a bed of pain with constant aching in their bones.
20 abominabilis ei fit in vita sua panis et animae illius cibus ante desiderabilis
They have no desire to eat; they do not even want their favorite dishes.
21 tabescet caro eius et ossa quae tecta fuerant nudabuntur
Their flesh wastes away to nothing; all that's left is skin and bones.
22 adpropinquabit corruptioni anima eius et vita illius mortiferis
They are close to death; their lives approaching the executioner.
23 si fuerit pro eo angelus loquens unum de milibus ut adnuntiet hominis aequitatem
But if an angel appears, a mediator, one of God's thousands of angels, to tell someone the right way for them,
24 miserebitur eius et dicet libera eum et non descendat in corruptionem inveni in quo ei propitier
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 consumpta est caro eius a suppliciis revertatur ad dies adulescentiae suae
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 deprecabitur Deum et placabilis ei erit et videbit faciem eius in iubilo et reddet homini iustitiam suam
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 respiciet homines et dicet peccavi et vere deliqui et ut eram dignus non recepi
They sing, and tell others, ‘I sinned, I distorted what is right, but it did not do me any good.
28 liberavit animam suam ne pergeret in interitum sed vivens lucem videret
He saved me from going down into the grave and I will live in the light.’
29 ecce haec omnia operatur Deus tribus vicibus per singulos
Look, God does this time and again for people;
30 ut revocet animas eorum a corruptione et inluminet luce viventium
he saves them from the grave so they might see the light of life.
31 adtende Iob et audi me et tace dum ego loquar
Pay attention Job, and listen to me! Be quiet—let me speak!
32 si autem habes quod loquaris responde mihi loquere volo enim te apparere iustum
But if you have anything to say, then speak up.
33 quod si non habes audi me tace et docebo te sapientiam
If not, listen to me. Keep quiet and I will teach you wisdom.”