Job 33:1-33
33 “But now, Job, please hear my words;Listen to everything I say.
2 Look, please! I must open my mouth;My tongue* must speak.
3 My words declare the uprightness of my heart,+And my lips sincerely tell what I know.
4 God’s own spirit made me,+And the Almighty’s own breath brought me to life.+
5 Reply to me if you are able;Present your arguments before me; take your position.
6 Look! I am just like you before the true God;From the clay I too was shaped.+
7 So no fear of me should terrify you,And no pressure from me should overwhelm you.
8 But you said in my hearing,Yes, I kept hearing these words,
9 ‘I am pure, without transgression;+I am clean, without error.+
10 But God finds reasons to oppose me;He considers me his enemy.+
11 He puts my feet in stocks;He scrutinizes all my paths.’+
12 But you are not right in saying this, so I will answer you:
God is far greater than mortal man.+
13 Why do you complain against Him?+
Is it because he did not answer all your words?+
14 For God speaks once and a second time,But no one pays attention,
15 In a dream, a vision of the night,+When deep sleep falls upon peopleWhile they sleep in their beds.
16 Then he uncovers their ears+And impresses* his instruction upon them,
17 To turn a person away from wrongdoing+And to protect a man from pride.+
18 God spares his soul* from the pit,*+His life from perishing by the sword.*
19 A person is also reproved by pain on his bedAnd by the constant distress of his bones,
20 So that his very being* loathes bread,And he* rejects even fine food.+
21 His flesh wastes away from sight,And his bones that were hidden now protrude.*
22 His soul* draws near to the pit;*His life to those who bring death.
23 If there is a messenger* for him,One advocate out of a thousand,To tell to man what is upright,
24 Then God shows him favor and says,‘Spare him from going down into the pit!*+
I have found a ransom!+
25 Let his flesh become fresher* than in youth;+Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor.’+
26 He will entreat God,+ who will accept him,And he will see His face with shouts of joy,And He will restore His righteousness to mortal man.
27 That person will declare* to men,‘I have sinned+ and distorted what is right,But I did not receive what I deserved.*
28 He has redeemed my soul* from going into the pit,*+And my life will see the light.’
29 Indeed, God does all these thingsTwice, three times, for a man,
30 To bring him* back from the pit,*So that he may be enlightened with the light of life.+
31 Pay attention, Job! Listen to me!
Keep silent, and I will continue speaking.
32 If you have something to say, reply to me.
Speak, for I want to prove you right.
33 If you have nothing to say, you should listen to me;Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
Footnotes
^ Lit., “My tongue with my palate.”
^ Lit., “puts a seal on.”
^ Or “life.”
^ Or “grave.”
^ Or “by a weapon (missile).”
^ Or “his soul.”
^ Lit., “his life.”
^ Or “are laid bare.”
^ Or “life.”
^ Or “grave.”
^ Or “an angel.”
^ Or “grave.”
^ Or “healthier.”
^ Lit., “sing.”
^ Or possibly, “And it did not profit me.”
^ Or “life.”
^ Or “grave.”
^ Or “his soul.”
^ Or “grave.”