Job 33

¹But now, hear my speech , O Job , and listen to all my words .

²Behold , I open my mouth ; the tongue in my mouth speaks .

³My words declare the uprightness of my heart , and what my lips know they speak sincerely .

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

⁵Answer me, if you can ; set your words in order before me; take your stand .

⁶Behold , I am toward God as you are; I too was pinched off from a piece of clay .

⁷Behold , no fear of me need terrify you; my pressure will not be heavy upon you.

⁸Surely you have spoken in my ears , and I have heard the sound of your words .

⁹You say, I am pure , without transgression ; I am clean , and there is no iniquity in me.

¹⁰Behold , he finds occasions against me, he counts me as his enemy ,

¹¹he puts my feet in the stocks and watches all my paths .

¹²Behold , in this you are not right . I will answer you, for God is greater than man .

¹³Why do you contend against him, saying, He will answer none of man’s words ?

¹⁴For God speaks in one way, and in two , though man does not perceive it.

¹⁵In a dream , in a vision of the night , when deep sleep falls on men , while they slumber on their beds ,

¹⁶then he opens the ears of men and terrifies them with warnings ,

¹⁷that he may turn man aside from his deed and conceal pride from a man ;

¹⁸he keeps back his soul from the pit , his life from perishing by the sword .

¹⁹Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed and with continual strife in his bones ,

²⁰so that his life loathes bread , and his appetite the choicest food .

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

²²His soul draws near the pit , and his life to those who bring death .

²³If there be for him an angel , a mediator , one of the thousand , to declare to man what is right for him,

²⁴and he is merciful to him, and says , Deliver him from going down into the pit ; I have found a ransom ;

²⁵let his flesh become fresh with youth ; let him return to the days of his youthful vigor;

²⁶then man prays to God , and he accepts him; he sees his face with a shout of joy , and he restores to man his righteousness .

²⁷He sings before men and says : I sinned and perverted what was right , and it was not repaid to me.

²⁸He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit , and my life shall look upon the light .

²⁹Behold , God does all these things , twice , three times, with a man ,

³⁰to bring back his soul from the pit , that he may be lighted with the light of life .

³¹Pay attention , O Job , listen to me; be silent , and I will speak .

³²If you have any words , answer me; speak , for I desire to justify you.

³³If not, listen to me; be silent , and I will teach you wisdom .