| 1 Therefore, O Job, hear my discourse, and hearken to all my words. | 1 "But now, hear my speech, O Job, and listen to all my words. |
| 2 Behold, now I open my mouth; my tongue and my voice form words. | 2 Behold, I open my mouth; the tongue in my mouth speaks. |
| 3 I will state directly what is in my mind, my lips shall utter knowledge sincerely; | 3 My words declare the uprightness of my heart, and what my lips know they speak sincerely. |
| 4 For the spirit of God has made me, the breath of the Almighty keeps me alive. | 4 The spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. |
| 5 If you are able, refute me; draw up your arguments and stand forth. | 5 Answer me, if you can; set your words in order before me; take your stand. |
| 6 Behold I, like yourself, have been taken from the same clay by God. | 6 Behold, I am toward God as you are; I too was formed from a piece of clay. |
| 7 Therefore no fear of me should dismay you, nor should my presence weigh heavily upon you. | 7 Behold, no fear of me need terrify you; my pressure will not be heavy upon you. |
| 8 But you have said in my hearing, as I listened to the sound of your words: | 8 "Surely, you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the sound of your words. |
| 9 "I am clean and without transgression; I am innocent; there is no guilt in me. | 9 You say, 'I am clean, without transgression; I am pure, and there is no iniquity in me. |
| 10 Yet he invents pretexts against me and reckons me as his enemy. | 10 Behold, he finds occasions against me, he counts me as his enemy; |
| 11 He puts my feet in the stocks; he watches all my ways!" | 11 he puts my feet in the stocks, and watches all my paths.' |
| 12 In this you are not just, let me tell you; for God is greater than man. | 12 "Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you. God is greater than man. |
| 13 Why, then, do you make complaint against him that he gives no account of his doings? | 13 Why do you contend against him, saying, 'He will answer none of my words'? |
| 14 For God does speak, perhaps once, or even twice, though one perceive it not. | 14 For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it. |
| 15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, (when deep sleep falls upon men) as they slumber in their beds, | 15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while they slumber on 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 terrifies them with warnings, |
| 17 By turning man from evil and keeping pride away from him, | 17 that he may turn man aside from his deed, and cut off pride from man; |
| 18 He withholds his soul from the pit and his life from passing to the grave. | 18 he keeps back his soul from the Pit, his life from perishing by the sword. |
| 19 Or a man is chastened on his bed by pain and unceasing suffering within his frame, | 19 "Man is also chastened with pain upon his bed, and with continual strife in his bones; |
| 20 So that to his appetite food becomes repulsive, and his senses reject the choicest nourishment. | 20 so that his life loathes bread, and his appetite dainty food. |
| 21 His flesh is wasted so that it cannot be seen, and his bones, once invisible, appear; | 21 His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen; and his bones which were not seen stick out. |
| 22 His soul draws near to the pit, his life to the place of the dead. | 22 His soul draws near the Pit, and his life to those who bring death. |
| 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 be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand, to declare to man what is right for him; |
| 24 He will take pity on him and say, "Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found him a ransom." | 24 and he is gracious to him, and says, 'Deliver him from going down into the Pit, I have found a ransom; |
| 25 Then his flesh shall become soft as a boy's; he shall be again as in the days of his youth. | 25 let his flesh become fresh with youth; let him return to the days of his youthful vigor'; |
| 26 He shall pray and God will favor him; he shall see God's face with rejoicing. | 26 then man prays to God, and he accepts him, he comes into his presence with joy. He recounts to men his salvation, |
| 27 He shall sing before men and say, "I sinned and did wrong, yet he has not punished me accordingly. | 27 and he sings before men, and says: 'I sinned, and perverted what was right, and it was not requited to me. |
| 28 He delivered my soul from passing to the pit, and I behold the light of life." | 28 He has redeemed my soul from going down into the Pit, and my life shall see the light.' |
| 29 Lo, all these things God does, twice, or thrice, for a man, | 29 "Behold, God does all these things, twice, three times, with a man, |
| 30 Bringing back his soul from the pit to the light, in the land of the living. | 30 to bring back his soul from the Pit, that he may see the light of life. |
| 31 Be attentive, O Job; listen to me! Be silent and I will speak. | 31 Give heed, O Job, listen to me; be silent, and I will speak. |
| 32 If you have aught to say, then answer me. Speak out! I should like to see you justified. | 32 If you have anything to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify you. |
| 33 If not, then do you listen to me; be silent while I teach you wisdom. | 33 If not, listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom." |