1 “ However now, Job, please hear my speech, And listen to all my words.

Be that as it may, Job, I beg of you to hear what I have to say and give heed to all my words.

2 “ Behold now, I open my mouth, My tongue in my mouth speaks.

Behold, here I am with open mouth; here is my tongue talking.

3 “ My words are from the uprightness of my heart, And my lips speak knowledge sincerely.

My words shall express the uprightness of my heart, and my lips shall speak what they know with utter sincerity.

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

the Spirit of God that made me, and the breath of the Almighty that gives me life.

5 “ Refute me if you can; Array yourselves before me, take your stand.

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

6 “ Behold, I belong to God like you; I too have been formed out of the clay.

Behold, I am toward God and before Him even as you are; I also am formed out of the clay.

7 “ Behold, no fear of me should terrify you, Nor should my pressure weigh heavily on you.

See my terror; I shall not make you afraid, neither shall my pressure be heavy upon you.

8 “ Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words:

Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of your words, saying,

9 ‘ I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent and there is no guilt in me.

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

10 ‘ Behold, He invents pretexts against me; He counts me as His enemy.

But behold, God finds occasions against me and causes of alienation and indifference; He counts me as His enemy.

11 ‘ He puts my feet in the stocks; He watches all my paths.’

He puts my feet in the stocks; He watches all my paths.

12 “ Behold, let me tell you, you are not right in this, For God is greater than man.

I reply to you, Behold, in this you are not just; God is superior to man.

13 “ Why do you complain against Him That He does not give an account of all His doings?

Why do you contend against Him? For He does not give account of any of His actions.

14 “ Indeed God speaks once, Or twice, yet no one notices it.

For God speaks not only once, but more than once, even though men do not regard it.

15 “ In a dream, a vision of the night, When sound sleep falls on men, While they slumber in their beds,

in a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men while slumbering upon the bed,

16 T hen He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction,

Then He opens the ears of men and seals their instruction,

17 T hat He may turn man aside from his conduct, And keep man from pride;

That He may withdraw man from his purpose and cut off pride from him.

18 H e keeps back his soul from the pit, And his life from passing over into Sheol.

He holds him back from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

19 “ Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, And with unceasing complaint in his bones;

he is chastened with pain upon his bed and with continual strife in his bones or while all his bones are firmly set,

20 S o that his life loathes bread, And his soul favorite food.

So that his desire makes him loathe food, and even dainty dishes.

21 “ His flesh wastes away from sight, And his bones which were not seen stick out.

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

22 “ Then his soul draws near to the pit, And his life to those who bring death.

Yes, his soul draws near to corruption, and his life to the inflicters of death (the destroyers).

23 “ If there is an angel as mediator for him, One out of a thousand, To remind a man what is right for him,

if there is for the hearer a messenger or an angel, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show to man what is right for him,

24 T hen let him be gracious to him, and say, ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom’;

Then is gracious to him and says, Deliver him from going down into the pit; I have found a ransom (a price of redemption, an atonement)!

25 L et his flesh become fresher than in youth, Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor;

flesh shall be restored; it becomes fresher and more tender than a child’s; he returns to the days of his youth.

26 T hen he will pray to God, and He will accept him, That he may see His face with joy, And He may restore His righteousness to man.

He prays to God, and He is favorable to him, so that he sees His face with joy; for restores to him his righteousness (his uprightness and right standing with God—with its joys).

27 “ He will sing to men and say, ‘I have sinned and perverted what is right, And it is not proper for me.

He looks upon other men or sings out to them, I have sinned and perverted that which was right, and it did not profit me, or He did not requite me!

28 ‘ He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit, And my life shall see the light.’

has redeemed my life from going down to the pit, and my life shall see the light!

29 “ Behold, God does all these oftentimes with men,

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

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

To bring back his life from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.

31 “ Pay attention, O Job, listen to me; Keep silent, and let me speak.

Give heed, O Job, listen to me; hold your peace, and I will speak.

32 “ Then if you have anything to say, answer me; Speak, for I desire to justify you.

If you have anything to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify you.

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

If not, listen to me; hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.