Online Bible

“However, Job, please ^alisten to my words,And pay attention to everything I say.2 “Behold, I have opened my mouth to begin my speech;My tongue in my mouth is going to speak.3 “My words will express the uprightness of my heart,And my lips will speak ^awhat they know with utter sincerity.4 “The ^aSpirit of God has made me,And the ^bbreath of ¹the Almighty gives me life which inspires me.5 “^aAnswer me, if you can;Set yourselves before me, take your stand.6 “Behold, I belong to God like you;I too was formed out of the ^aclay.7 “Behold, I will ^anot make you afraid or terrified of me for I am only mortal and not God,Nor should any pressure from me weigh heavily upon you.

8 “Surely you have spoken in my hearing,And I have heard the sound of your words, saying:9 ‘I am ^apure, ^bwithout transgression;I am innocent and there ^cis no guilt in me.10 ‘Behold, God finds pretexts against me;^aHe counts me as His enemy.11 ‘He ^aputs my feet in the stocks to hinder and humiliate me;He suspiciously watches all my paths,’ you say.12 “Look, let me answer you, ^ain this you are not right or just;For God is greater and far superior to man.

13 “Why do you ^acomplain against Him?That He does not answer you with all His doings.14 “For ^aGod speaks once,And even twice, yet no one notices it including you, Job.15 “In a ^adream, a vision of the night one may hear God’s voice,When deep sleep falls on menWhile slumbering upon the bed,16 Then ^aHe opens the ears of menAnd seals their instruction,17 That He may turn man aside from his conduct,And keep him from pride;18 He ^aholds back his soul from the pit of destruction,And his life from ^bpassing over into Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead) .

19 “Man is also disciplined with ^apain on his bed,And with unceasing complaint in his bones,20 So that his life makes him ^aloathe food,And his soul loathe even his favorite dishes.21 “His ^aflesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,And his ^bbones which were not seen now stick out.22 “Then ^ahis soul draws near to the pit of destruction,And his life to those who bring death (the destroyers) .

23 “If there is an angel as a ^amediator for him,One out of a thousand,To explain to a man what is right for him that is, how to be in right standing with God,24 Then ¹the angel is gracious to him, and says,‘Spare him from ^agoing down to the pit of destruction;I have found a ^bransom a consideration, or reason for redemption, an atonement!’25 “Let his flesh be restored and become fresher than in youth;Let him return to the days of his youthful strength.26 “He will ^apray to God, and He shall be favorable to him,So that ^bhe looks at His face with joy;For God restores to man His righteousness that is, his right standing with God—with its joys.27 “He sings out to other men,‘I ^ahave sinned and perverted that which was right,And it was not ^bproper for me!28 ‘God has redeemed my life from going to the pit of destruction,And my life shall ^asee the light.’”

29 Elihu comments, “Behold, God does ^aall these things ¹twice, yes, three times, with a man,30 To ^abring his life back from the pit of destruction,That he may be enlightened with the light of the living.31 “Pay attention, Job, listen to me;Keep silent, and I will speak.32 “If you have anything to say, answer me;Speak, for I desire to justify you.33 “If not and you have nothing to say, ^alisten to me;Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”