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

Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear my speech, And hearken to all my words.

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

Behold now, I have opened my mouth; My tongue hath spoken in my mouth.

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

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

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

The Spirit of God hath made me, And the breath of the Almighty giveth me life.

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

If thou canst, answer thou me; Set thy words in order before me, stand forth.

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

Behold, I am toward God even as thou art: 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.

Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, Neither shall my pressure be heavy upon thee.

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

Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the voice of thy 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.

Behold, he findeth occasions against me, He counteth me for his enemy:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For God speaketh once, Yea twice, though man regardeth it not.

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 falleth upon men, In slumberings upon the bed;

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

Then he openeth the ears of men, And sealeth 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 hide pride from man;

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

He keepeth back his soul 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 also with pain upon his bed, And with continual strife in his bones;

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

So that his life abhorreth bread, And his soul dainty food.

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

His flesh is consumed 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.

Yea, his soul draweth near unto the pit, And his life to 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 be with him an angel, An interpreter, one among a thousand, To show unto 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 God is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.

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

His flesh shall be fresher than a child's; He returneth 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 prayeth unto God, and he is favorable unto him, So that he seeth his face with joy: And he restoreth unto man his righteousness.

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

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

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

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

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

Lo, all these things doth God work, Twice, yea thrice, 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 soul 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.

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

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

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

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

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