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33 ¶ Therefore, Job, hear now my reasons, and hearken to all my words.

Behold, now I shall open my mouth, my tongue shall speak in my mouth.

My reasons declare the uprightness of my heart; and my lips shall utter pure knowledge.

The Spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gave me life.

If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up.

Behold, I am according to thy wish in God’s stead; I also am formed out of the clay.

Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.

¶ Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,

I am clean without rebellion, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.

10 Behold, God sought occasions against me, he counts me for his enemy,

11 he put my feet in the stocks, he guards all my paths.

12 Behold, in this thou art not just; I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.

13 Why dost thou strive against him? For he will not answer all of thy words.

14 ¶ Nevertheless, in one or two manners God speaks to the one who does not see.

15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

16 then he opens the ears of men and seals their instruction,

17 that he may withdraw the man from his own work and cover the man from pride.

18 Thus he keeps back his soul from the pit and his life from perishing by the sword.

19 ¶ He is chastened also upon his bed with strong pain in all his bones,

20 so that his life abhors bread and his soul dainty food.

21 His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out.

22 His soul shall draw near to the grave, and his life to those that would bury him.

23 If there is a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show unto man his uprightness;

24 to tell him that God had mercy on him, that he delivered him from going down to the pit; that he found a ransom;

25 his flesh shall become more tender than a child’s; and he shall return to the days of his youth.

26 He shall pray unto God, and he will love him; and he shall see his face with shouts of joy; for he will render unto the man the recompense of his righteousness.

27 He looks upon men, and if any say, I have sinned and perverted that which was right, and it did not profit me;

28 God will ransom his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

29 ¶ Behold, God does all these things two and three times with man,

30 to turn back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.

31 Hear me, O Job, hearken unto me; be silent, and I will speak.

32 If thou hast anything to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify thee.

33 If not, hearken unto me; be silent, and I shall teach thee wisdom.

33 “But now, Job, listen(A) to my words;
    pay attention to everything I say.(B)
I am about to open my mouth;
    my words are on the tip of my tongue.
My words come from an upright heart;(C)
    my lips sincerely speak what I know.(D)
The Spirit(E) of God has made me;(F)
    the breath of the Almighty(G) gives me life.(H)
Answer me(I) then, if you can;
    stand up(J) and argue your case before me.(K)
I am the same as you in God’s sight;(L)
    I too am a piece of clay.(M)
No fear of me should alarm you,
    nor should my hand be heavy on you.(N)

“But you have said in my hearing—
    I heard the very words—
‘I am pure,(O) I have done no wrong;(P)
    I am clean and free from sin.(Q)
10 Yet God has found fault with me;
    he considers me his enemy.(R)
11 He fastens my feet in shackles;(S)
    he keeps close watch on all my paths.’(T)

12 “But I tell you, in this you are not right,
    for God is greater than any mortal.(U)
13 Why do you complain to him(V)
    that he responds to no one’s words[a]?(W)
14 For God does speak(X)—now one way, now another(Y)
    though no one perceives it.(Z)
15 In a dream,(AA) in a vision(AB) of the night,(AC)
    when deep sleep(AD) falls on people
    as they slumber in their beds,
16 he may speak(AE) in their ears
    and terrify them(AF) with warnings,(AG)
17 to turn them from wrongdoing
    and keep them from pride,(AH)
18 to preserve them from the pit,(AI)
    their lives from perishing by the sword.[b](AJ)

19 “Or someone may be chastened(AK) on a bed of pain(AL)
    with constant distress in their bones,(AM)
20 so that their body finds food(AN) repulsive
    and their soul loathes the choicest meal.(AO)
21 Their flesh wastes away to nothing,
    and their bones,(AP) once hidden, now stick out.(AQ)
22 They draw near to the pit,(AR)
    and their life to the messengers of death.[c](AS)
23 Yet if there is an angel at their side,
    a messenger,(AT) one out of a thousand,
    sent to tell them how to be upright,(AU)
24 and he is gracious to that person and says to God,
    ‘Spare them from going down to the pit;(AV)
    I have found a ransom for them(AW)
25 let their flesh be renewed(AX) like a child’s;
    let them be restored as in the days of their youth’(AY)
26 then that person can pray to God and find favor with him,(AZ)
    they will see God’s face and shout for joy;(BA)
    he will restore them to full well-being.(BB)
27 And they will go to others and say,
    ‘I have sinned,(BC) I have perverted what is right,(BD)
    but I did not get what I deserved.(BE)
28 God has delivered(BF) me from going down to the pit,(BG)
    and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’(BH)

29 “God does all these things to a person(BI)
    twice, even three times(BJ)
30 to turn them back(BK) from the pit,(BL)
    that the light of life(BM) may shine on them.(BN)

31 “Pay attention, Job, and listen(BO) to me;(BP)
    be silent,(BQ) and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me;(BR)
    speak up, for I want to vindicate you.(BS)
33 But if not, then listen to me;(BT)
    be silent,(BU) and I will teach you wisdom.(BV)

Footnotes

  1. Job 33:13 Or that he does not answer for any of his actions
  2. Job 33:18 Or from crossing the river
  3. Job 33:22 Or to the place of the dead