job

33 
Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear my speech,
And hearken to all my words.
Behold now, I have opened my mouth;
My tongue hath spoken in my [a]mouth.
My words shall utter the uprightness of my heart;
And that which my lips know they shall speak sincerely.
The Spirit of God hath made me,
And the breath of the Almighty giveth me life.
If thou canst, answer thou me;
Set thy words in order before me, stand forth.
Behold, [b]I am toward God even as thou art:
I also am formed out of the clay.
Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid,
Neither shall my pressure be heavy upon thee.
Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing,
And I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,
I am clean, without transgression;
I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me:
10 Behold, he findeth [c]occasions against me,
He counteth me for his enemy;
11 He putteth my feet in the stocks,
He marketh all my paths.
12 Behold, [d]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 [e]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 [f]openeth the ears of men,
And sealeth their instruction,
17 [g]That he may withdraw man from his purpose,
And hide pride from man;
18 [h]He keepeth back his soul from the pit,
And his life from perishing by the [i]sword.
19 He is chastened also with pain upon his bed,
[j]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 [k]an angel,
An interpreter, one [l]among a thousand,
To show unto man [m]what is right for him;
24 [n]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 [o]singeth before men, and saith,
I have sinned, and perverted that which was right,
And [p]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 [q]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.

Footnotes

  1. Job 33:2 Hebrew palate.
  2. Job 33:6 Or, I am according to thy wish in God’s stead
  3. Job 33:10 Or, causes of alienation
  4. Job 33:12 Or, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee; For etc.
  5. Job 33:14 Or, in one way, yea, in two
  6. Job 33:16 Hebrew uncovereth.
  7. Job 33:17 Or, That man may put away his purpose, And that he may hide
  8. Job 33:18 Or, That he may keep back
  9. Job 33:18 Or, weapons
  10. Job 33:19 Another reading is, While all his bones are firm.
  11. Job 33:23 Or, a messenger
  12. Job 33:23 Or, of the thousand
  13. Job 33:23 Or, his uprightness
  14. Job 33:24 Or, And he be gracious . . . and say . . . ransom: his flesh etc.
  15. Job 33:27 Or, looketh upon men
  16. Job 33:27 Or, it was not requited unto me. Or, it was not meet for me
  17. Job 33:30 Or, life