Job 33
1 Therefore do thou but hear, O Job, my speeches, and give ear to all my words.
So now, Job, I beg you, hear my speech; listen to all my words.
2 Behold now, I have opened my mouth, my tongue speaketh in my mouth.
See now, I have opened my mouth; my tongue has spoken in my mouth.
3 Out of my straightforward heart [come] my sayings, and my lips utter knowledge clearly.
My words come from the uprightness of my heart; my lips speak pure knowledge.
4 The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty giveth me life.
The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty has given me life.
5 If thou canst, answer me, array thyself before me, stand forward.
If you can, answer me; set your words in order before me and stand up.
6 Behold, I am in the same relation as thyself toward God: I myself also am cut out of the clay.
See, I am just as you are in God's sight; I also have been formed out of the clay.
7 Behold, dread of me cannot terrify thee, and my pressure will not be too heavy upon thee.
See, terror of me will not make you afraid; neither will my pressure be heavy upon you.
8 But thou hast said before my ears, and the sound of the words I still hear,
You have certainly spoken in my hearing; I have heard the sound of your words saying,
9 “I am pure without transgression, I am quite clean; and there is no iniquity in me:
'I am clean and without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no sin in me.
10 Yet, behold, he findeth hateful backsliding on me, he regardeth me as an enemy unto him;
See, God finds opportunities to attack me; he regards me as his enemy.
11 He putteth my feet in the stocks, he watcheth all my paths.”
He puts my feet in stocks; he watches all my paths.'
12 Behold, In this thou art not just: I will answer thee; for God is far greater than a mortal.
See, in this you are not right—I will answer you, for God is greater than man.
13 Why dost thou contend against him? for with all his words will he not give an answer.
Why do you struggle against him? He does not account for any of his doings.
14 For God speaketh once, yea twice: [yet man] regardeth it not.
For God speaks once— yes, twice, though man does not notice it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumbers upon the couch:
In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, in slumber on the bed—
16 Then doth he lay open the ear of men, and sealeth it with their warning;
then God opens the ears of men, and frightens them with threats,
17 To remove the son of earth [from his intended] deed and he covereth up pride from man;
in order to pull man back from his sinful purposes, and keep pride from him.
18 He withholdeth his soul from the pit, and his life from passing away by the sword.
God keeps man's life back from the pit, his life from crossing over to death.
19 And so is he admonished by pain upon his couch, and all his bones with violent [aches].
Man is punished also with pain on his bed, with constant agony in his bones,
20 So that his inclination abhorreth bread, and his soul, the most agreeable food.
so that his life abhors food, and his soul abhors delicacies.
21 His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out.
His flesh is consumed away so that it cannot be seen; his bones, once not seen, now stick out.
22 Yea, his soul draweth near unto the pit, and his life to those that slay.
Indeed, his soul draws close to the pit, his life to those who wish to destroy it.
23 If there be now about him one single angel, as defender, one out of a thousand, to tell for man his uprightness:
But if there is an angel who can be a mediator for him, a mediator, one from among the thousands of angels, to show him what is right to do,
24 Then is he gracious unto him, and saith, Release him from going down to the pit, I have found an atonement.
and if the angel is kind to him and says to God, 'Save this person from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom for him,'
25 His flesh becometh full again as in youth: he returneth to the days of his boyhood.
then his flesh will become fresher than a child's; he will return to the days of his youthful strength.
26 He will offer his entreaty unto God, and he will receive him in favor, that he may see his face with joy: so doth He recompense unto the mortal his righteousness.
He will pray to God, and God will be kind to him, so that he sees God's face with joy. God will give the person his triumph.
27 He then should assemble men around, and say, “I had sinned, and perverted what is right, yet have I not received a like return.”
Then that person will sing in front of other people and say, 'I sinned and perverted that which was right, but my sin was not punished.
28 Thus he redeemeth his soul from passing into the pit, and his life will look joyously on the light.
God has rescued my soul from going down into the pit; my life will continue to see light.'
29 Lo, all these things doth God two or three times with man;
See, God does all these things with a person, twice, yes, even three times,
30 To bring back his soul from the pit, that she may shine in the light of life.
to bring his soul back from the pit, so that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
31 Listen well, O Job, hearken unto me: keep silence, and I will truly speak.
Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent and I will speak.
32 If thou hast any words, answer me: speak, for I wish to justify thee.
If you have anything to say, answer me; speak, for I wish to prove that you are in the right.
33 If not, hearken thou unto me: keep silence, and I will teach thee wisdom.
If not, then listen to me; remain silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
