Job 32-34

New International Version

“I am young in years,
    and you are old;^(J)
that is why I was fearful,
    not daring to tell you what I know.
⁷ I thought, ‘Age should speak;
    advanced years should teach wisdom.’^(K)
8 But it is the spirit^[b](L) in a person,
    the breath of the Almighty,^(M) that gives them understanding.^(N)
9 It is not only the old^[c] who are wise,^(O)
    not only the aged^(P) who understand what is right.^(Q)

¹⁰ “Therefore I say: Listen to me;^(R)
    I too will tell you what I know.^(S)
11 I waited while you spoke,
    I listened to your reasoning;
while you were searching for words,
¹²     I gave you my full attention.
But not one of you has proved Job wrong;
    none of you has answered his arguments.^(T)
13 Do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;^(U)
    let God, not a man, refute^(V) him.’
¹⁴ But Job has not marshaled his words against me,^(W)
    and I will not answer him with your arguments.

¹⁵ “They are dismayed and have no more to say;
    words have failed them.^(X)
16 Must I wait, now that they are silent,
    now that they stand there with no reply?
¹⁷ I too will have my say;
    I too will tell what I know.^(Y)
18 For I am full of words,
    and the spirit^(Z) within me compels me;^(AA)
19 inside I am like bottled-up wine,
    like new wineskins ready to burst.^(AB)
20 I must speak and find relief;
    I must open my lips and reply.^(AC)
21 I will show no partiality,^(AD)
    nor will I flatter anyone;^(AE)
22 for if I were skilled in flattery,
    my Maker^(AF) would soon take me away.^(AG)

33 “But now, Job, listen^(AH) to my words;
    pay attention to everything I say.^(AI)
2 I am about to open my mouth;
    my words are on the tip of my tongue.
³ My words come from an upright heart;^(AJ)
    my lips sincerely speak what I know.^(AK)
4 The Spirit^(AL) of God has made me;^(AM)
    the breath of the Almighty^(AN) gives me life.^(AO)
5 Answer me^(AP) then, if you can;
    stand up^(AQ) and argue your case before me.^(AR)
6 I am the same as you in God’s sight;^(AS)
    I too am a piece of clay.^(AT)
7 No fear of me should alarm you,
    nor should my hand be heavy on you.^(AU)

⁸ “But you have said in my hearing—
    I heard the very words—
⁹ ‘I am pure,^(AV) I have done no wrong;^(AW)
    I am clean and free from sin.^(AX)
10 Yet God has found fault with me;
    he considers me his enemy.^(AY)
11 He fastens my feet in shackles;^(AZ)
    he keeps close watch on all my paths.’^(BA)

¹² “But I tell you, in this you are not right,
    for God is greater than any mortal.^(BB)
13 Why do you complain to him^(BC)
    that he responds to no one’s words^[d]?^(BD)
14 For God does speak^(BE)—now one way, now another^(BF)—
    though no one perceives it.^(BG)
15 In a dream,^(BH) in a vision^(BI) of the night,^(BJ)
    when deep sleep^(BK) falls on people
    as they slumber in their beds,
¹⁶ he may speak^(BL) in their ears
    and terrify them^(BM) with warnings,^(BN)
17 to turn them from wrongdoing
    and keep them from pride,^(BO)
18 to preserve them from the pit,^(BP)
    their lives from perishing by the sword.^[e](BQ)

¹⁹ “Or someone may be chastened^(BR) on a bed of pain^(BS)
    with constant distress in their bones,^(BT)
20 so that their body finds food^(BU) repulsive
    and their soul loathes the choicest meal.^(BV)
21 Their flesh wastes away to nothing,
    and their bones,^(BW) once hidden, now stick out.^(BX)
22 They draw near to the pit,^(BY)
    and their life to the messengers of death.^[f](BZ)
23 Yet if there is an angel at their side,
    a messenger,^(CA) one out of a thousand,
    sent to tell them how to be upright,^(CB)
24 and he is gracious to that person and says to God,
    ‘Spare them from going down to the pit;^(CC)
    I have found a ransom for them^(CD)—
²⁵ let their flesh be renewed^(CE) like a child’s;
    let them be restored as in the days of their youth’^(CF)—
²⁶ then that person can pray to God and find favor with him,^(CG)
    they will see God’s face and shout for joy;^(CH)
    he will restore them to full well-being.^(CI)
27 And they will go to others and say,
    ‘I have sinned,^(CJ) I have perverted what is right,^(CK)
    but I did not get what I deserved.^(CL)
28 God has delivered^(CM) me from going down to the pit,^(CN)
    and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’^(CO)

²⁹ “God does all these things to a person^(CP)—
    twice, even three times^(CQ)—
³⁰ to turn them back^(CR) from the pit,^(CS)
    that the light of life^(CT) may shine on them.^(CU)

³¹ “Pay attention, Job, and listen^(CV) to me;^(CW)
    be silent,^(CX) and I will speak.
³² If you have anything to say, answer me;^(CY)
    speak up, for I want to vindicate you.^(CZ)
33 But if not, then listen to me;^(DA)
    be silent,^(DB) and I will teach you wisdom.^(DC)”

² “Hear my words, you wise men;
    listen to me,^(DD) you men of learning.
³ For the ear tests words
    as the tongue tastes food.^(DE)
4 Let us discern for ourselves what is right;^(DF)
    let us learn together what is good.^(DG)

⁵ “Job says, ‘I am innocent,^(DH)
    but God denies me justice.^(DI)
6 Although I am right,
    I am considered a liar;^(DJ)
although I am guiltless,^(DK)
    his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’^(DL)
7 Is there anyone like Job,
    who drinks scorn like water?^(DM)
8 He keeps company with evildoers;
    he associates with the wicked.^(DN)
9 For he says, ‘There is no profit
    in trying to please God.’^(DO)

¹⁰ “So listen to me,^(DP) you men of understanding.^(DQ)
    Far be it from God to do evil,^(DR)
    from the Almighty to do wrong.^(DS)
11 He repays everyone for what they have done;^(DT)
    he brings on them what their conduct deserves.^(DU)
12 It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,^(DV)
    that the Almighty would pervert justice.^(DW)
13 Who appointed^(DX) him over the earth?
    Who put him in charge of the whole world?^(DY)
14 If it were his intention
    and he withdrew his spirit^[g](DZ) and breath,^(EA)
15 all humanity would perish^(EB) together
    and mankind would return to the dust.^(EC)

¹⁶ “If you have understanding,^(ED) hear this;
    listen to what I say.^(EE)
17 Can someone who hates justice govern?^(EF)
    Will you condemn the just and mighty One?^(EG)
18 Is he not the One who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’
    and to nobles,^(EH) ‘You are wicked,’^(EI)
19 who shows no partiality^(EJ) to princes
    and does not favor the rich over the poor,^(EK)
    for they are all the work of his hands?^(EL)
20 They die in an instant, in the middle of the night;^(EM)
    the people are shaken and they pass away;
    the mighty are removed without human hand.^(EN)

²¹ “His eyes are on the ways of mortals;^(EO)
    he sees their every step.^(EP)
22 There is no deep shadow,^(EQ) no utter darkness,^(ER)
    where evildoers can hide.^(ES)
23 God has no need to examine people further,^(ET)
    that they should come before him for judgment.^(EU)
24 Without inquiry he shatters^(EV) the mighty^(EW)
    and sets up others in their place.^(EX)
25 Because he takes note of their deeds,^(EY)
    he overthrows them in the night^(EZ) and they are crushed.^(FA)
26 He punishes them for their wickedness^(FB)
    where everyone can see them,
²⁷ because they turned from following him^(FC)
    and had no regard for any of his ways.^(FD)
28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before him,
    so that he heard the cry of the needy.^(FE)
29 But if he remains silent,^(FF) who can condemn him?^(FG)
    If he hides his face,^(FH) who can see him?
Yet he is over individual and nation alike,^(FI)
30     to keep the godless^(FJ) from ruling,^(FK)
    from laying snares for the people.^(FL)

³¹ “Suppose someone says to God,
    ‘I am guilty^(FM) but will offend no more.
³² Teach me what I cannot see;^(FN)
    if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’^(FO)
33 Should God then reward you on your terms,
    when you refuse to repent?^(FP)
You must decide, not I;
    so tell me what you know.

³⁴ “Men of understanding declare,
    wise men who hear me say to me,
³⁵ ‘Job speaks without knowledge;^(FQ)
    his words lack insight.’^(FR)
36 Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost
    for answering like a wicked man!^(FS)
37 To his sin he adds rebellion;
    scornfully he claps his hands^(FT) among us
    and multiplies his words^(FU) against God.”^(FV)