1 H owbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear my speech, And hearken to all my words.

And yet, I pray thee, O Job, Hear my speech and all my words give ear.

2 B ehold now, I have opened my mouth; My tongue hath spoken in my mouth.

Lo, I pray thee, I have opened my mouth, My tongue hath spoken in the palate.

3 M y words shall utter the uprightness of my heart; And that which my lips know they shall speak sincerely.

Of the uprightness of my heart my sayings, And knowledge have my lips clearly spoken.

4 T he Spirit of God hath made me, And the breath of the Almighty giveth me life.

The Spirit of God hath made me, And the breath of the Mighty doth quicken me.

5 I f thou canst, answer thou me; Set thy words in order before me, stand forth.

If thou art able -- answer me, Set in array before me -- station thyself.

6 B ehold, I am toward God even as thou art: I also am formed out of the clay.

Lo, I, according to thy word, for God, From the clay I -- I also, have been formed.

7 B ehold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, Neither shall my pressure be heavy upon thee.

Lo, my terror doth not frighten thee, And my burden on thee is not heavy.

8 S urely thou hast spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,

Surely -- thou hast said in mine ears, And the sounds of words I hear:

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

`Pure I, without transgression, Innocent I, and I have no iniquity.

10 B ehold, he findeth occasions against me, He counteth me for his enemy:

Lo, occasions against me He doth find, He doth reckon me for an enemy to Him,

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

He doth put in the stocks my feet, He doth watch all my paths.'

12 B ehold, I will answer thee, in this thou art not just; For God is greater than man.

Lo, this thou hast not been righteous, I answer thee, that greater is God than man.

13 W hy dost thou strive against him, For that he giveth not account of any of his matters?

Wherefore against Him hast thou striven, When all His matters He answereth not?

14 F or God speaketh once, Yea twice, though man regardeth it not.

For once doth God speak, and twice, (He doth not behold it.)

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

In a dream -- a vision of night, In the falling of deep sleep on men, In slumberings on a bed.

16 T hen he openeth the ears of men, And sealeth their instruction,

Then He uncovereth the ear of men, And for their instruction sealeth:

17 T hat he may withdraw man from his purpose, And hide pride from man;

To turn aside man doing, And pride from man He concealeth.

18 H e keepeth back his soul from the pit, And his life from perishing by the sword.

He keepeth back his soul from corruption, And his life from passing away by a dart.

19 H e is chastened also with pain upon his bed, And with continual strife in his bones;

And he hath been reproved With pain on his bed, And the strife of his bones enduring.

20 S o that his life abhorreth bread, And his soul dainty food.

And his life hath nauseated bread, And his soul desirable food.

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

His flesh is consumed from being seen, And high are his bones, they were not seen!

22 Y ea, his soul draweth near unto the pit, And his life to the destroyers.

And draw near to the pit doth his soul, And his life to those causing death.

23 I f there be with him an angel, An interpreter, one among a thousand, To show unto man what is right for him;

If there is by him a messenger, An interpreter -- one of a thousand, To declare for man his uprightness:

24 T hen God is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.

Then He doth favour him and saith, `Ransom him from going down to the pit, I have found an atonement.'

25 H is flesh shall be fresher than a child's; He returneth to the days of his youth.

Fresher his flesh than a child's, He returneth to the days of his youth.

26 H e prayeth unto God, and he is favorable unto him, So that he seeth his face with joy: And he restoreth unto man his righteousness.

He maketh supplication unto God, And He accepteth him. And he seeth His face with shouting, And He returneth to man His righteousness.

27 H e singeth before men, and saith, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, And it profited me not:

He looketh on men, and saith, `I sinned, And uprightness I have perverted, And it hath not been profitable to me.

28 H e hath redeemed my soul from going into the pit, And my life shall behold the light.

He hath ransomed my soul From going over into the pit, And my life on the light looketh.'

29 L o, all these things doth God work, Twice, yea thrice, with a man,

Lo, all these doth God work, Twice -- thrice with man,

30 T o bring back his soul from the pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of the living.

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

31 M ark well, O Job, hearken unto me: Hold thy peace, and I will speak.

Attend, O Job, hearken to me, Keep silent, and I -- I do speak.

32 I f thou hast anything to say, answer me: Speak, for I desire to justify thee.

If there are words -- answer me, Speak, for I have a desire to justify thee.

33 I f not, hearken thou unto me: Hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom.

If there are not -- hearken thou to me, Keep silent, and I teach thee wisdom.