Job 33

¹Therefore, hear my speeches, Job, and listen to all my words.

²Behold, I have opened my mouth; let my tongue speak along with my throat.

³My words are from my simple heart, and my lips will speak a pure judgment.

⁴The Spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gave me life.

⁵If you can, answer me, and oppose me to my face.

⁶Behold, God has made me, just as he also has made you, and I, likewise, have been formed of the same clay.

⁷So, truly, do not let my wonders terrify you, and do not let my eloquence be burdensome to you.

⁸For you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of your words, saying:

⁹“I am clean and without sin; I am immaculate, and there is no iniquity in me.

¹⁰Yet he has discovered blame in me, and so he has treated me like his enemy.

¹¹He has put my feet in fetters; he has kept watch over all my ways.”

¹²Therefore, it is for this reason that you have not been justified. For I tell you that God is greater than man.

¹³Do you contend against him because he has not responded to all of your words?

¹⁴God speaks once, and he does not repeat the same thing a second time.

¹⁵Through a dream in a vision of the night, when a deep sleep falls over men, and they are sleeping in their beds,

¹⁶then, he opens the ears of men, and, educating them, he teaches discipline,

¹⁷so that he may divert a man from the things that he is doing, and may free him from pride,

¹⁸rescuing his soul from corruption and his life from passing away by the sword.

¹⁹Likewise, he rebukes by sorrow in bed, and he causes all of his bones to become weak.

²⁰Bread becomes abominable to him in his life, and, to his soul, the meat which before he desired.

²¹His body will waste away, and his bones, which had been covered, will be revealed.

²²His soul has approached corruption, and his life has drawn near to what is deadly.

²³If there were an angel speaking for him, one among thousands, to declare the fairness of the man,

²⁴he will have mercy on him, and he will say, “Free him, so that he will not descend to destruction. I have found a reason to be favorable to him.

²⁵His body is consumed by suffering. Let him return to the days of his youth.”

²⁶He will beg pardon from God, and he will be soothing to him; and he will look upon his face in jubilation, and he will restore his justice to man.

²⁷He will consider mankind, and he will say: “I have sinned and truly I have offended, yet I was not treated as I deserved.”

²⁸He has freed his soul from continuing into destruction, so that, in living, it may see the light.

²⁹Behold, all these things God works three times within each one,

³⁰so that he may revive their souls from corruption and enlighten them with the light of life.

³¹Pay attention Job, and listen to me; and remain silent, while I speak.

³²Yet, if you have anything to say, answer me and speak, for I want you to be treated justly.

³³But if you do not have anything to say, then listen to me. Be quiet and I will teach you wisdom.

Job 33

¹Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words.

²Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth.

³My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.

⁴The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

⁵If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up.

⁶Behold, I am according to thy wish in God’s stead: I also am formed out of the clay.

⁷Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.

⁸Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,

⁹I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.

¹⁰Behold, he findeth occasions against me, he counteth me for his enemy,

¹¹He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.

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

¹³Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.

¹⁴For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.

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

¹⁶Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,

¹⁷That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.

¹⁸He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

¹⁹He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain:

²⁰So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat.

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

²²Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.

²³If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness:

²⁴Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.

²⁵His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s: he shall return to the days of his youth:

²⁶He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.

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

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

²⁹Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,

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

³¹Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I will speak.

³²If thou hast any thing to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify thee.

³³If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom.