1 “ But now, Job, hear what I say. Listen to all my words.

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

2 S ee, I open my mouth. My tongue in my mouth wants to speak.

Now, I open my mouth; My tongue speaks in my mouth.

3 M y words come from my heart that is right. My lips speak in truth what I know.

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

4 T he Spirit of God has made me. And the breath of the All-powerful gives me life.

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

5 P rove me wrong if you can. Get ready to answer me, and take your stand.

If you can answer me, Set your words in order before me; Take your stand.

6 S ee, I belong to God like you. I also have been made from the clay.

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

7 S ee, you have no reason to be afraid of me. I should not make it hard for you.

Surely no fear of me will terrify you, Nor will my hand be heavy on you.

8 “ For sure you have spoken in my hearing. I have heard all you have said.

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

9 Y ou said, ‘I am pure and without sin. I am not guilty, and there is no sin in me.

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

10 B ut see, God finds things against me. He thinks of me as someone who hates Him.

Yet He finds occasions against me, He counts me as His enemy;

11 H e puts my feet in chains, and watches all my paths.’

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

12 S ee, I tell you, in this you are not right. For God is greater than man.

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

13 “ Why do you complain against Him? He does not give a reason for all He does.

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

14 F or God speaks once, or twice, and yet no one listens.

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

15 I n a dream, a special dream of the night, when deep sleep comes upon men, while they sleep in their beds,

In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds,

16 t hen He opens the ears of men. He teaches them and makes them afraid telling them of danger,

Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction.

17 t hat He may turn man away from wrong-doing and keep him from pride.

In order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man,

18 H e keeps his soul from going to the place of the dead. And He keeps his life from being destroyed by the sword.

He keeps back his soul from the Pit, And his life from perishing by the sword.

19 “ Man is also punished with pain on his bed and has pain all the time in his bones.

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

20 S o he hates bread, and has no desire for fine foods.

So that his life abhors bread, And his soul succulent food.

21 H is flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen. His bones which were not seen stick out.

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

22 H is soul comes close to the grave, and his life to those who bring death.

Yes, his soul draws near the Pit, And his life to the executioners.

23 “ If there is an angel, one out of a thousand, to speak with God for him, and to show a man what is right for him,

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

24 t hen let him be kind to him, and say, ‘Save him from going down to the grave. I have found someone to pay the price to make him free.

Then He is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom’;

25 L et his flesh become young again. Let him return to the days when he was young and strong.’

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

26 T hen he will pray to God, and God will be pleased with him. He will see His face with joy. And God will make man right with Him again.

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

27 H e will sing to men and say, ‘I have sinned and have not done what is right, but He did not punish me.

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

28 H e has kept my soul from going to the grave. And my life will see the light.’

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

29 “ See, God does all these things twice, even three times, to a man,

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

30 t o turn back his soul from the grave, that he may see the light of life.

To bring back his soul from the Pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of life.

31 H ear what I say, O Job, listen to me. Be quiet and let me speak.

“Give ear, Job, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will speak.

32 I f you have anything to say, answer me. Speak, for I want to make you right with God.

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

33 I f not, listen to me. Be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.”

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