| 1 | "But please, Job, hear my speech, And listen to all my words. | |
| 2 | Now, I open my mouth; My tongue speaks in my mouth. | |
| 3 | My words come from my upright heart; My lips utter pure knowledge. | |
| 4 | The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life. | |
| 5 | If you can answer me, Set your words in order before me; Take your stand. | |
| 6 | Truly I am as your spokesman before God; I also have been formed out of clay. | |
| 7 | Surely no fear of me will terrify you, Nor will my hand be heavy on you. | |
| 8 | "Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words, saying, | |
| 9 | 'I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me. | |
| 10 | Yet He finds occasions against me, He counts me as His enemy; | |
| 11 | He puts my feet in the stocks, He watches all my paths.' | |
| 12 | "Look, in this you are not righteous. I will answer you, For God is greater than man. | |
| 13 | Why do you contend with Him? For He does not give an accounting of any of His words. | |
| 14 | For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it. | |
| 15 | In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds, | |
| 16 | Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction. | |
| 17 | In order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man, | |
| 18 | He keeps back his soul from the Pit, And his life from perishing by the sword. | |
| 19 | "Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, And with strong pain in many of his bones, | |
| 20 | So that his life abhors bread, And his soul succulent food. | |
| 21 | His flesh wastes away from sight, And his bones stick out which once were not seen. | |
| 22 | Yes, his soul draws near the Pit, And his life to the executioners. | |
| 23 | "If there is a messenger for him, A mediator, one among a thousand, To show man His uprightness, | |
| 24 | Then He is gracious to him, and says, 'Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom'; | |
| 25 | His flesh shall be young like a child's, He shall return to the days of his youth. | |
| 26 | He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, For He restores to man His righteousness. | |
| 27 | Then he looks at men and says, 'I have sinned, and perverted what was right, And it did not profit me.' | |
| 28 | He will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit, And his life shall see the light. | |
| 29 | "Behold, God works all these things, Twice, in fact, three times with a man, | |
| 30 | To bring back his soul from the Pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of life. | |
| 31 | "Give ear, Job, listen to me; Hold your peace, 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; Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom." | |