1
But now, hear my speech, O Job,
and listen to all my words.
2 Behold, Ijch. 3:1 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 kch. 27:3 The Spirit of God has made me,
andlch. 32:8; Gen. 2:7; [Ezek. 37:9; Acts 17:25] the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 mver. 32 Answer me, if you can;
nch. 13:18; 23:4; [Ps. 5:3] set your words in order before me; take your stand.
6 Behold, I am toward God as you are;
I too was pinched off from a piece ofoSee ch. 4:19 clay.
7 Behold, nopch. 9:34, 35; 13:21 fear of me need terrify you;
myq[ch. 23:2] pressure will not be heavy upon you.
8 Surely you have spoken in my ears,
and I have heard the sound of your words.
9 You say, ‘I amrch. 9:21; 10:7; 11:4; 12:4; 13:18; 16:17; 23:10, 11; 27:5; 29:14; 32:1; 34:5 pure, withoutsch. 34:6 transgression;
I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Behold, he finds occasions against me,
hetSee ch. 13:24 counts me as his enemy,
11 heuch. 13:27 puts my feet in the stocks
andvch. 10:14; 14:16; 31:4 watches all my paths. ’
12 Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you,
for God is greater than man.
13 Why do youwch. 13:3; 16:21; 31:35; 40:2 contend against him,
saying, ‘HexSee ch. 9:12 will answer none of man's words ’?2Or He will not answer for any of his own words
14 For Gody[ch. 40:5; Ps. 62:11] speaks in one way,
zver. 29 and in two, though mana[1 Sam. 3:4, 6] does not perceive it.
15 InbSee Num. 12:6 a dream, incch. 4:13 a vision ofdPs. 17:3 the night,
whencch. 4:13 deep sleep falls on men,
while they slumber on their beds,
16 then heech. 36:10, 15; Ps. 40:6; Isa. 50:5 opens the ears of men
and terrifies them with warnings,
17 that he may turn man aside from hisfch. 36:9 deed
and conceal pride from a man;
18 he keeps back his soul from the pit,
his life fromgch. 36:12 perishing by the sword.
19 Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed
and with continual strife in hishch. 30:17 bones,
20 so that hisiPs. 107:18 life loathes bread,
and his appetitejProv. 23:3 the choicest food.
21 His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,
and his bones that were not seenk[Ps. 22:17] stick out.
22 His soul draws nearlver. 24, 28 the pit,
and his life tom2 Sam. 24:16, 17; Ps. 78:49 those who bring death.
23 If there be for himnGen. 16:7; 22:11; 48:16; Ps. 34:7; Isa. 63:9; [Mal. 3:1] an angel,
oGen. 42:23; Isa. 43:27 a mediator,pEccles. 7:28; [Song 5:10] one of the thousand,
to declare to man what isq[Prov. 14:2; Ezek. 18:21, 22] right for him,
24 and he is merciful to him, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down into the pit;
I have foundrch. 36:18; Ps. 49:7 a ransom;
25 let his fleshs2 Kgs. 5:14; [Heb. 9:12] become fresh with youth;
let him return to the days of his youthful vigor ’;
26 then mantSee ch. 22:27 prays to God, and he accepts him;
heuPs. 17:15 sees his face with a shout of joy,
and hev[2 Sam. 12:13; Prov. 28:13; Luke 15:21-24; 1 John 1:9] restores to man his righteousness.
27 He sings before men and says:
‘IwPs. 106:6; [Rom. 6:21] sinned and perverted what was right,
and it was not repaid to me.
28 He has redeemed myxIsa. 38:17 soul from going downyver. 22, 24 into the pit,
and my life shallz[ch. 3:9] look upon the light. ’
29 Behold, God does all these things,
twice,aver. 14 three times, with a man,
30 to bring back his soul from the pit,
that he may be lighted withbPs. 56:13 the light of life.
31 Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
32 If you have any words,cver. 5 answer me;
dch. 34:33 speak, for I desire to justify you.
33 If not,ePs. 34:11 listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom. ”