Job 33

¹“However, Job, please hear my speech,

and listen to all my words.

²See now, I have opened my mouth.

My tongue has spoken in my mouth.

³My words will utter the uprightness of my heart.

That which my lips know they will speak sincerely.

⁴The Spirit of God has made me,

and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

⁵If you can, answer me.

Set your words in order before me, and stand up.

⁶Behold, I am toward God even as you are.

I am also formed out of the clay.

⁷Behold, my terror will not make you afraid,

neither will my pressure be heavy on you.

⁸“Surely you have spoken in my hearing,

I have heard the voice of your words, saying,

⁹‘I am clean, without disobedience.

I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me.

¹⁰Behold, he finds occasions against me.

He counts me for his enemy.

¹¹He puts my feet in the stocks.

He marks all my paths.’

¹²“Behold, I will answer you. In this you are not just,

for God is greater than man.

¹³Why do you strive against him,

because he doesn’t give account of any of his matters?

¹⁴For God speaks once,

yes twice, though man pays no attention.

¹⁵In a dream, in a vision of the night,

when deep sleep falls on men,

in slumbering on the bed,

¹⁶then he opens the ears of men,

and seals their instruction,

¹⁷that he may withdraw man from his purpose,

and hide pride from man.

¹⁸He keeps back his soul from the pit,

and his life from perishing by the sword.

¹⁹“He is chastened also with pain on his bed,

with continual strife in his bones,

²⁰so that his life abhors bread,

and his soul dainty food.

²¹His flesh is so consumed away that it can’t be seen.

His bones that were not seen stick out.

²²Yes, his soul draws near to the pit,

and his life to the destroyers.

²³“If there is beside him an angel,

an interpreter, one among a thousand,

to show to man what is right for him,

²⁴then God is gracious to him, and says,

‘Deliver him from going down to the pit,

I have found a ransom.’

²⁵His flesh will be fresher than a child’s.

He returns to the days of his youth.

²⁶He prays to God, and he is favorable to him,

so that he sees his face with joy.

He restores to man his righteousness.

²⁷He sings before men, and says,

‘I have sinned, and perverted that which was right,

and it didn’t profit me.

²⁸He has redeemed my soul from going into the pit.

My life will see the light.’

²⁹“Behold, God does all these things,

twice, yes three times, with a man,

³⁰to bring back his soul from the pit,

that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.

³¹Mark well, Job, and listen to me.

Hold your peace, and I will speak.

³²If you have anything to say, answer me.

Speak, for I desire to justify you.

³³If not, listen to me.

Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”