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 mine 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 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 meat.

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 shew unto man what is right for him;

²⁴ Then he 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 favourable 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 any thing 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.