Job 33

¹  “However, Job, please hear my speech,
    and listen to all my words.
² See now, I have opened my mouth.
    My tongue has spoken in my mouth.
³ My words will utter the uprightness of my heart.
    That which my lips know they will speak sincerely.
⁴ The Spirit of God has 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.
⁶ Behold, I am toward God even as you are.
    I am also formed out of the clay.
⁷ Behold, my terror will not make you afraid,
    neither will my pressure be heavy on you.

⁸ “Surely you have spoken in my hearing,
    I have heard the voice of your words, saying,
⁹ ‘I am clean, without disobedience.
    I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me.
¹⁰ Behold, he finds occasions against me.
    He counts me for his enemy.
¹¹ He puts my feet in the stocks.
    He marks all my paths.’

¹² “Behold, I will answer you. In this you are not just,
    for God is greater than man.
¹³ Why do you strive against him,
    because he doesn’t give account of any of his matters?
¹⁴ For God speaks once,
    yes twice, though man pays no attention.
¹⁵ In a dream, in a vision of the night,
    when deep sleep falls on men,
    in slumbering on the bed;
¹⁶ Then he opens the ears of men,
    and seals their instruction,
¹⁷ that he may withdraw man from his purpose,
    and hide pride from man.
¹⁸ He keeps back his soul from the pit,
    and his life from perishing by the sword.

¹⁹ “He is chastened also with pain on his bed,
    with continual strife in his bones,
²⁰ so that his life abhors bread,
    and his soul dainty food.
²¹ His flesh is so consumed away that it can’t be seen.
    His bones that were not seen stick out.
²² Yes, his soul draws near to the pit,
    and his life to the destroyers.

²³ “If there is beside him an angel,
    an interpreter, one among a thousand,
    to show to man what is right for him;
²⁴ then God is gracious to him, and says,
    ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit,
    I have found a ransom.’
²⁵ His flesh will be fresher than a child’s.
    He returns to the days of his youth.
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.
²⁷ He sings before men, and says,
    ‘I have sinned, and perverted that which was right,
    and it didn’t profit me.
²⁸ He has redeemed my soul from going into the pit.
    My life will see the light.’

²⁹ “Behold, God does all these things,
    twice, yes three times, with a man,
³⁰ to bring back his soul from the pit,
    that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
³¹ Mark well, Job, and listen to me.
    Hold your peace, and I will speak.
³² If you have anything to say, answer me.
    Speak, for I desire to justify you.
³³ If not, listen to me.
    Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”

Job 32   ■   Job 34