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

Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear mine utterances, and hearken to all my words.

2 N ow, I open my mouth; My tongue speaks in my mouth.

Behold now, I have opened my mouth, my tongue speaketh in my palate,

3 M y words come from my upright heart; My lips utter pure knowledge.

My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart, and my lips shall utter knowledge purely.

4 T he 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 hath given me life.

5 I f you can answer me, Set your words in order before me; Take your stand.

If thou canst, answer me; array before me: take thy stand.

6 T ruly I am as your spokesman before God; I also have been formed out of clay.

Behold, before God I am as thou; I also am formed out of the clay.

7 S urely no fear of me will terrify you, Nor will my hand be heavy on you.

Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, nor my burden be heavy upon thee.

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

Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of words:—

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

I am clean without transgression; I am pure, and there is no iniquity in me;

10 Y et He finds occasions against me, He counts me as His enemy;

Lo, he findeth occasions of hostility against me, he counteth me for his enemy;

11 H e puts my feet in the stocks, He watches all my paths.’

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

12 “ Look, in this you are not righteous. I will answer you, For God is greater than man.

Behold, I will answer thee in this, thou art not right; for +God is greater than man.

13 W hy do you contend with Him? For He does not give an accounting of any of His words.

Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.

14 F or God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it.

For God speaketh once, and twice,— perceiveth it not—

15 I n a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on 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 men's ears, and sealeth their instruction,

17 I n order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man,

That he may withdraw man work, and hide pride from man.

18 H e keeps back his soul from the Pit, And his life from perishing by the sword.

He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from passing away by the sword.

19 “ Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, And with strong pain in many of his bones,

He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and with constant strife in his bones;

20 S o that his life abhors bread, And his soul succulent food.

And his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty food;

21 H is flesh wastes away from sight, And his bones stick out which once were not seen.

His flesh is consumed away from view, and his bones that were not seen stick out;

22 Y es, his soul draws near the Pit, And his life to the executioners.

And his soul draweth near to the pit, and his life to the destroyers.

23 “ If there is a messenger for him, A mediator, one among a thousand, To show man His uprightness,

If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his duty;

24 T hen He is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom’;

Then he will be gracious unto him, and say, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.

25 H is flesh shall be young like a child’s, He shall return to the days of his youth.

His flesh shall be fresher than in childhood; he shall return to the days of his youth.

26 H e shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, For He restores to man His righteousness.

He shall pray unto +God, and he will receive him with favour; and he shall see his face with shoutings, and he will render unto man his righteousness.

27 T hen he looks at men and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted what was right, And it did not profit me.’

He will sing before men, and say, I have sinned, and perverted what was right, and it hath not been requited to me;

28 H e will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit, And his life shall see the light.

He hath delivered my soul from going into the pit, and my life shall see the light.

29 “ Behold, God works all these things, Twice, in fact, three times with a man,

Lo, all these worketh God twice, thrice, with 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 “ Give ear, Job, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will speak.

Mark well, Job, hearken unto me; be silent, and I will speak.

32 I f 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 I f not, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”

If not, hearken thou unto me; be silent, and I will teach thee wisdom.