Job 33
Darby Translation
33 Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear mine utterances, and hearken to all my words.
2 Behold now, I have opened my mouth, my tongue speaketh in my palate,
3 My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart, and my lips shall utter knowledge purely.
4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
5 If thou canst, answer me; array [thy words] before me: take thy stand.
6 Behold, before God I am as thou; I also am formed out of the clay.
7 Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, nor my burden be heavy upon thee.
8 Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of [thy] words:—
9 I am clean without transgression; I am pure, and there is no iniquity in me;
10 Lo, he findeth occasions of hostility 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 right; for +God is greater than man.
13 Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.
14 For God speaketh once, and twice,—[and man] perceiveth 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 men's ears, and sealeth their instruction,
17 That he may withdraw man [from his] work, and hide pride from man.
18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from passing away by the sword.
19 He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and with constant strife in his bones;
20 And his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty food;
21 His flesh is consumed away from view, and his bones that were not seen stick out;
22 And his soul draweth near to the pit, and his life to the destroyers.
23 If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his duty;
24 Then he will be gracious unto him, and say, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.
25 His flesh shall be fresher than in childhood; he shall return to the days of his youth.
26 He shall pray unto +God, and he will receive him with favour; and he shall see his face with shoutings, and he will render unto man his righteousness.
27 He will sing before men, and say, I have sinned, and perverted what was right, and it hath not been requited to me;
28 He hath delivered my soul from going into the pit, and my life shall see the light.
29 Lo, all these [things] worketh God twice, thrice, with man,
30 To bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 Mark well, Job, hearken unto me; be silent, 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; be silent, and I will teach thee wisdom.
Job 33
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
Elihu Rebukes Job
33 ‘But now, hear my speech, O Job,
and listen to all my words.
2 See, I open my mouth;
the tongue in my mouth speaks.
3 My words declare the uprightness of my heart,
and what my lips know they speak sincerely.
4 The spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty[a] gives me life.
5 Answer me, if you can;
set your words in order before me; take your stand.
6 See, before God I am as you are;
I too was formed from a piece of clay.
7 No fear of me need terrify you;
my pressure will not be heavy on you.
8 ‘Surely, you have spoken in my hearing,
and I have heard the sound of your words.
9 You say, “I am clean, without transgression;
I am pure, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Look, he finds occasions against me,
he counts me as his enemy;
11 he puts my feet in the stocks,
and watches all my paths.”
12 ‘But in this you are not right. I will answer you:
God is greater than any mortal.
13 Why do you contend against him,
saying, “He will answer none of my[b] words”?
14 For God speaks in one way,
and in two, though people do not perceive it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on mortals,
while they slumber on their beds,
16 then he opens their ears,
and terrifies them with warnings,
17 that he may turn them aside from their deeds,
and keep them from pride,
18 to spare their souls from the Pit,
their lives from traversing the River.
19 They are also chastened with pain upon their beds,
and with continual strife in their bones,
20 so that their lives loathe bread,
and their appetites dainty food.
21 Their flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen;
and their bones, once invisible, now stick out.
22 Their souls draw near the Pit,
and their lives to those who bring death.
23 Then, if there should be for one of them an angel,
a mediator, one of a thousand,
one who declares a person upright,
24 and he is gracious to that person, and says,
“Deliver him from going down into the Pit;
I have found a ransom;
25 let his flesh become fresh with youth;
let him return to the days of his youthful vigour”;
26 then he prays to God, and is accepted by him,
he comes into his presence with joy,
and God[c] repays him for his righteousness.
27 That person sings to others and says,
“I sinned, and perverted what was right,
and it was not paid back to me.
28 He has redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit,
and my life shall see the light.”
29 ‘God indeed does all these things,
twice, three times, with mortals,
30 to bring back their souls from the Pit,
so that they may see the light of life.[d]
31 Pay heed, Job, listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me;
speak, for I desire to justify you.
33 If not, listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.’
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New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.