Job 33

Elihu Rebukes Job

1  “But now, hear my speech, O Job,
and listen to all my words.
 2 Behold, I a 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  b The Spirit of God has made me,
and c the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
 5  d Answer me, if you can;
e 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 of f clay.
 7 Behold, no g fear of me need terrify you;
my h 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 am i pure, without j transgression;
I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
 10 Behold, he finds occasions against me,
he k counts me as his enemy,
 11 he l puts my feet in the stocks
and m 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 you n contend against him,
saying, ‘He o will answer none of man’s ▼
▼ Hebrew his
 words’? ▼
▼ Or  He will not answer for any of his own words

 14 For God r speaks in one way,
s and in two, though man t does not perceive it.
 15 In u a dream, in v a vision of w the night,
when x deep sleep falls on men,
while they slumber on their beds,
 16 then he y opens the ears of men
and terrifies them with warnings,
 17 that he may turn man aside from his z deed
and conceal pride from a man;
 18 he keeps back his soul from the pit,
his life from aa perishing by the sword.
 19  “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed
and with continual strife in his ab bones,
 20 so that his ac life loathes bread,
and his appetite ad the choicest food.
 21 His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,
and his bones that were not seen ae stick out.
 22 His soul draws near af the pit,
and his life to ag those who bring death.
 23 If there be for him ah an angel,
ai a mediator aj one of the thousand,
to declare to man what is ak right for him,
 24 and he is merciful to him, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down into the pit;
I have found al a ransom;
 25 let his flesh am become fresh with youth;
let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’;
 26 then man ▼
▼ Hebrew he
 ao prays to God, and he accepts him;
he ap sees his face with a shout of joy,
and he aq restores to man his righteousness.
 27 He sings before men and says:
‘I ar sinned and perverted what was right,
and it was not repaid to me.
 28 He has redeemed my as soul from going down at into the pit,
and my life shall au look upon the light.’
 29  “Behold, God does all these things,
twice, av three times, with a man,
 30 to bring back his soul from the pit,
that he may be lighted with aw the light of life.
 31 Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
 32 If you have any words ax answer me;
ay speak, for I desire to justify you.
 33 If not, az listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
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