Job 33

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

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

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

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

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

6 Behold, I am toward God even as thou art: I also am formed out of the clay.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falleth upon men, In slumberings upon the bed;

16 Then he openeth the ears of men, And sealeth their instruction,

17 That he may withdraw man from his purpose, And hide pride from man;

18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, And his life from perishing by the sword.

19 He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, And with continual strife in his bones;

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

21 His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; And his bones that were not seen stick out.

22 Yea, his soul draweth near unto the pit, And his life to the destroyers.

23 If there be with him an angel, An interpreter, one among a thousand, To show unto man what is right for him;

24 Then God is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.

25 His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s; He returneth to the days of his youth.

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

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

29 Lo, all these things doth God work, Twice, yea thrice, with a man,

30 To bring back his soul from the pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of the living.

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

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

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

Job 34

1 Moreover Elihu answered and said,

2 Hear my words, ye wise men; And give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.

3 For the ear trieth words, As the palate tasteth food.

4 Let us choose for us that which is right: Let us know among ourselves what is good.

5 For Job hath said, I am righteous, And God hath taken away my right:

6 Notwithstanding my right I am accounted a liar; My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.

7 What man is like Job, Who drinketh up scoffing like water,

8 Who goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, And walketh with wicked men?

9 For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing That he should delight himself with God.

10 Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, And from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.

11 For the work of a man will he render unto him, And cause every man to find according to his ways.

12 Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly, Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.

13 Who gave him a charge over the earth? Or who hath disposed the whole world?

14 If he set his heart upon himself, If he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;

15 All flesh shall perish together, And man shall turn again unto dust.

16 If now thou hast understanding, hear this: Hearken to the voice of my words.

17 Shall even one that hateth justice govern? And wilt thou condemn him that is righteous and mighty?-

18  Him that saith to a king, Thou art vile, Or to nobles, Ye are wicked;

19 That respecteth not the persons of princes, Nor regardeth the rich more than the poor; For they all are the work of his hands.

20 In a moment they die, even at midnight; The people are shaken and pass away, And the mighty are taken away without hand.

21 For his eyes are upon the ways of a man, And he seeth all his goings.

22 There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

23 For he needeth not further to consider a man, That he should go before God in judgment.

24 He breaketh in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out, And setteth others in their stead.

25 Therefore he taketh knowledge of their works; And he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

26 He striketh them as wicked men In the open sight of others;

27 Because they turned aside from following him, And would not have regard in any of his ways:

28 So that they caused the cry of the poor to come unto him, And he heard the cry of the afflicted.

29 When he giveth quietness, who then can condemn? And when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? Alike whether it be done unto a nation, or unto a man:

30 That the godless man reign not, That there be none to ensnare the people.

31 For hath any said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:

32 That which I see not teach thou me: If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?

33 Shall his recompense be as thou wilt, that thou refusest it? For thou must choose, and not I: Therefore speak what thou knowest.

34 Men of understanding will say unto me, Yea, every wise man that heareth me:

35 Job speaketh without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom.

36 Would that Job were tried unto the end, Because of his answering like wicked men.

37 For he addeth rebellion unto his sin; He clappeth his hands among us, And multiplieth his words against God.

Job 35

1 Moreover Elihu answered and said,

2 Thinkest thou this to be thy right, Or sayest thou, My righteousness is more than God’s,

3 That thou sayest, What advantage will it be unto thee? And, What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?

4 I will answer thee, And thy companions with thee.

5 Look unto the heavens, and see; And behold the skies, which are higher than thou.

6 If thou hast sinned, what effectest thou against him? And if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?

7 If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? Or what receiveth he of thy hand?

8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; And thy righteousness may profit a son of man.

9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out; They cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.

10 But none saith, Where is God my Maker, Who giveth songs in the night,

11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, And maketh us wiser than the birds of the heavens?

12 There they cry, but none giveth answer, Because of the pride of evil men.

13 Surely God will not hear an empty cry, Neither will the Almighty regard it.

14 How much less when thou sayest thou beholdest him not, The cause is before him, and thou waitest for him!

15 But now, because he hath not visited in his anger, Neither doth he greatly regard arrogance;

16 Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vanity; He multiplieth words without knowledge.