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Elihu’s appeal to be heard

33 But now, listen to me, Job;
        pay attention to all my words.
Notice that I am opening my mouth;
    my tongue is speaking in my mouth.[a]
My words come from a virtuous heart;
    my lips speak knowledge clearly.
God’s spirit made me;
    the Almighty’s breath enlivens me.
If you are able, answer me;
    lay out your case[b] before me and take a stand.
Notice that I’m just like you to God;
    I also was pinched from clay.
Surely fear of me shouldn’t scare you;
    my pressure on you shouldn’t be heavy.

The argument

You certainly said in my hearing;
    I heard the sound of your words:
    “I’m pure, without sin;
        I’m innocent, without offense.
10     Notice that he invents arguments against me;
        he considers me his enemy,
11         ties up my feet,
        watches all my paths.”
12 Now you’re wrong about this; I’ll answer you,
    for God is greater than anybody.
13 Why do you contend with him,
    saying that he doesn’t answer all your words?[c]
14 God speaks in one way,
    in two ways, but no one perceives it.
15 In the dream, a vision of the night,
    when deep sleep falls upon humans,
        during their slumber on a bed,
16     then he opens people’s ears,
        scares them with warnings,
17     to turn them from a deed
        and to smother human pride.
18 He keeps one from the pit,
    a life from perishing by the sword.
19 Or a person may be disciplined by pain
    while in bed, bones ever aching
20     until a person loathes food,
        an appetite rejects a delicacy;
21     the flesh wastes away, no longer visible;
        the bones, once hidden, protrude.
22 A life approaches the pit;
    its very being draws near the death dealers.
23 Surely there’s a messenger for this person,
    a mediator, one out of a thousand
    to declare one’s integrity to another
24     so that God has compassion on that person and says,
        “Rescue this one from going down to the pit;
        I have found a ransom.”
25 That person’s flesh is renewed like a child’s;
    they regain their youth.
26 They pray to God, and God is pleased with them;
    they behold God’s presence
    with a joyful shout.
God rewards a person’s righteousness.
27     They sing before people and say:
    “I have sinned, perverted justice,
    but didn’t experience the consequences.
28 He ransomed me from crossing into the pit;
    my life beholds light.”
29 Look, God does all this,
        twice, three times with persons
30     to bring them back from the pit,
        to shine with life’s light.
31 Listen, Job; hear me;
    be quiet, and I will speak.
32 If you have words, answer me;
    speak, for I want to be innocent.
33 If not, you must hear me;
    be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.

Footnotes

  1. Job 33:2 Or palate
  2. Job 33:5 Heb lacks your case.
  3. Job 33:13 Or his words

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