JobChapter 33

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¹"But now, Job, hear what I have to say.
Listen to all my words. ²Look, I am about to open my mouth.
My words are on the tip of my tongue. ³My words come from an honest heart.
My lips will truly say what I know. ⁴The Spirit of God has made me.
The breath of the Almighty gives me life. ⁵Answer me if you can.
Get your case ready and stand up to me. ⁶I am just like you in God's eyes.
I was also shaped from clay. ⁷Surely you don't need to be afraid of me.
I will not press down hard on you. ⁸You have spoken while I was listening.
I heard you say these very words: ⁹'I am pure and have done no wrong.
I am clean, and there is no sin in me. ¹⁰But God looks for reasons to blame me.
He treats me like his enemy. ¹¹He locks my feet in wooden blocks.
He watches every path I take.' ¹²But listen, you are not right about this.
I will answer you, because God is greater than any man. ¹³Why do you complain to God
that he doesn't answer anything people ask? ¹⁴God speaks in one way and then in another.
But no one notices. ¹⁵He speaks in a dream, in a vision at night,
when deep sleep comes on people
as they sleep in their beds. ¹⁶Then he opens their ears.
He frightens them with warnings. ¹⁷He does this to turn a person away from doing wrong
and to keep him from pride. ¹⁸He does it to save his soul from the Pit
and to keep his life from perishing by the sword. ¹⁹Or a person is corrected on his bed with pain.
His bones ache all the time. ²⁰So he hates the sight of bread.
He can't stand even his favorite food. ²¹His body wastes away until you can hardly see it.
His bones, once hidden, now stick out. ²²He comes close to the Pit.
His life comes close to the messengers of death. ²³But if there is a messenger on his side,
one go-between out of a thousand,
to tell the man what is right for him, ²⁴to be kind to him and say,
'Save him from going down to the Pit.
I have found a ransom for him.' ²⁵Then his body becomes fresh like a child's.
He becomes young again. ²⁶He prays to God, and God is pleased with him.
He sees God's face and shouts for joy.
God makes that man right with him again. ²⁷Then he sings in front of people and says,
'I sinned and twisted what was right.
But I did not get the punishment I deserved. ²⁸God redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit.
I will live and see the light.' ²⁹Yes, God does all these things for a person,
two or even three times. ³⁰He does it to bring his soul back from the Pit,
so the light of life can shine on him. ³¹Pay attention, Job, and listen to me.
Be quiet, and I will speak. ³²But if you have something to say, answer me.
Speak up, because I want to show that you are in the right. ³³If not, then listen to me.
Be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom."