Job 33

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Therefore, O Job, hear my discourse, and hearken to all my words.	1 Therefore, hear my speeches, Job, and listen to all my words.
2 Behold, now I open my mouth; my tongue and my voice form words.	2 Behold, I have opened my mouth; let my tongue speak along with my throat.
3 I will state directly what is in my mind, my lips shall utter knowledge sincerely;	3 My words are from my simple heart, and my lips will speak a pure judgment.
4 For the spirit of God has made me, the breath of the Almighty keeps me alive.	4 The Spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gave me life.
5 If you are able, refute me; draw up your arguments and stand forth.	5 If you can, answer me, and oppose me to my face.
6 Behold I, like yourself, have been taken from the same clay by God.	6 Behold, God has made me, just as he also has made you, and I, likewise, have been formed of the same clay.
7 Therefore no fear of me should dismay you, nor should my presence weigh heavily upon you.	7 So, truly, do not let my wonders terrify you, and do not let my eloquence be burdensome to you.
8 But you have said in my hearing, as I listened to the sound of your words:	8 For you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of your words, saying:
9 "I am clean and without transgression; I am innocent; there is no guilt in me.	9 “I am clean and without sin; I am immaculate, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Yet he invents pretexts against me and reckons me as his enemy.	10 Yet he has discovered blame in me, and so he has treated me like his enemy.
11 He puts my feet in the stocks; he watches all my ways!"	11 He has put my feet in fetters; he has kept watch over all my ways.”
12 In this you are not just, let me tell you; for God is greater than man.	12 Therefore, it is for this reason that you have not been justified. For I tell you that God is greater than man.
13 Why, then, do you make complaint against him that he gives no account of his doings?	13 Do you contend against him because he has not responded to all of your words?
14 For God does speak, perhaps once, or even twice, though one perceive it not.	14 God speaks once, and he does not repeat the same thing a second time.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, (when deep sleep falls upon men) as they slumber in their beds,	15 Through a dream in a vision of the night, when a deep sleep falls over men, and they are sleeping in their beds,
16 It is then he opens the ears of men and as a warning to them, terrifies them;	16 then, he opens the ears of men, and, educating them, he teaches discipline,
17 By turning man from evil and keeping pride away from him,	17 so that he may divert a man from the things that he is doing, and may free him from pride,
18 He withholds his soul from the pit and his life from passing to the grave.	18 rescuing his soul from corruption and his life from passing away by the sword.
19 Or a man is chastened on his bed by pain and unceasing suffering within his frame,	19 Likewise, he rebukes by sorrow in bed, and he causes all of his bones to become weak.
20 So that to his appetite food becomes repulsive, and his senses reject the choicest nourishment.	20 Bread becomes abominable to him in his life, and, to his soul, the meat which before he desired.
21 His flesh is wasted so that it cannot be seen, and his bones, once invisible, appear;	21 His body will waste away, and his bones, which had been covered, will be revealed.
22 His soul draws near to the pit, his life to the place of the dead.	22 His soul has approached corruption, and his life has drawn near to what is deadly.
23 If then there be for him an angel, one out of a thousand, a mediator, To show him what is right for him and bring the man back to justice,	23 If there were an angel speaking for him, one among thousands, to declare the fairness of the man,
24 He will take pity on him and say, "Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found him a ransom."	24 he will have mercy on him, and he will say, “Free him, so that he will not descend to destruction. I have found a reason to be favorable to him.
25 Then his flesh shall become soft as a boy's; he shall be again as in the days of his youth.	25 His body is consumed by suffering. Let him return to the days of his youth.”
26 He shall pray and God will favor him; he shall see God's face with rejoicing.	26 He will beg pardon from God, and he will be soothing to him; and he will look upon his face in jubilation, and he will restore his justice to man.
27 He shall sing before men and say, "I sinned and did wrong, yet he has not punished me accordingly.	27 He will consider mankind, and he will say: “I have sinned and truly I have offended, yet I was not treated as I deserved.”
28 He delivered my soul from passing to the pit, and I behold the light of life."	28 He has freed his soul from continuing into destruction, so that, in living, it may see the light.
29 Lo, all these things God does, twice, or thrice, for a man,	29 Behold, all these things God works three times within each one,
30 Bringing back his soul from the pit to the light, in the land of the living.	30 so that he may revive their souls from corruption and enlighten them with the light of life.
31 Be attentive, O Job; listen to me! Be silent and I will speak.	31 Pay attention Job, and listen to me; and remain silent, while I speak.
32 If you have aught to say, then answer me. Speak out! I should like to see you justified.	32 Yet, if you have anything to say, answer me and speak, for I want you to be treated justly.
33 If not, then do you listen to me; be silent while I teach you wisdom.	33 But if you do not have anything to say, then listen to me. Be quiet and I will teach you wisdom.