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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For once doth God speak, and twice, (He doth not behold 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 -- a vision of night, In the falling of deep sleep on men, In slumberings on a bed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 by him a messenger, An interpreter -- one of a thousand, To declare for 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 doth favour him and saith, `Ransom him from going down to the pit, I have found an atonement.'

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

Fresher his flesh than a child's, He returneth 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 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 will sing to men and say, ‘I have sinned and have not done what is right, but He did not punish me.

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

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

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

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

Lo, all these doth God work, Twice -- thrice with 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, To be enlightened with the light of the living.

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

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

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

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

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

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