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 33

Elihu Speaks

Job, Listen to Me!

1 Job, listen to me!
Pay close attention.
*

2 Everything I will say

3 is true and sincere,

4 just as surely as the Spirit
of God All-Powerfult
gave me the breath of life.

5 Now line up your arguments
and prepare to face me.

6 We each were made from clay,
and God has no favorites,

7 so don't be afraid of me
or what I might do.

I Have Heard You Argue

8 I have heard you argue

9 that you are innocent,
guilty of nothing.

10 You claim that God
has made you his enemy,

11  t that he has bound your feet
and blocked your path.

12 But, Job, you're wrong—
God is greater
than any human.

13 So why do you challenge God
to answer you?t

14 God speaks in different ways,
and we don't always
recognize his voice.
*

15 t Sometimes in the night,
he uses terrifying dreams

16 to give us warnings.

17 God does this to make us turn
from sin and pride

18 and to protect us
from being swept away
to the world of the dead.

19 Sometimes we are punished
with a serious illness
and aching joints.

20 Merely the thought
of our favorite food
makes our stomachs sick,

21 and we become so skinny
that our bones stick out.

22 We feel death and the grave
taking us in their grip.

23 One of a thousand angels
then comes to our rescue
by saying we are innocent.

24 The angel shows kindness,
commanding death to release us,
because the price was paid.

25 Our health is restored,
we feel young again,

26 and we ask God to accept us.
Then we joyfully worship God,
and we are rewarded
because we are innocent.

27 When that happens,
we tell everyone,
“I sinned and did wrong,
but God forgave me

28 and rescued me from death!
Now I will see the light.”

29 God gives each of us
chance after chance

30 to be saved from death
and brought into the light
that gives life.

31 So, Job, pay attention
and don't interrupt,

32 though I would gladly listen
to anything you say
that proves you are right.

33 Otherwise, listen in silence
to my wisdom.