Job 33 - ESV Bible - "But now, hear my speech, O Job, and listen to all...

1 "But now, hear my speech, O Job, and listen to all my words.

2 Behold, I ¹open my mouth; the tongue in my mouth speaks.

3 My words declare the uprightness of my heart, and what my lips know they speak sincerely.

4 ²The Spirit of God has made me, and ³the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

5 ⁴Answer me, if you can; ⁵set your words in order before me; take your stand.

6 Behold, I am toward God as you are; I too was pinched off from a piece of ⁶clay.

7 Behold, no ⁷fear of me need terrify you; my ⁸pressure will not be heavy upon you.

8 "Surely you have spoken in my ears, and I have heard the sound of your words.

9 You say, 'I am ⁹pure, without ¹⁰transgression; I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.

10 Behold, he finds occasions against me, he ¹¹counts me as his enemy,

11 he ¹²puts my feet in the stocks and ¹³watches all my paths.'

12 "Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you, for God is greater than man.

13 Why do you ¹⁴contend against him, saying, 'He ¹⁵will answer none of man's^a words'?^b

14 For God ¹⁶speaks in one way, ¹⁷and in two, though man ¹⁸does not perceive it.

15 In ¹⁹a dream, in ²⁰a vision of ²¹the night, when ²²deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds,

16 then he ²³opens the ears of men and terrifies them with warnings,

17 that he may turn man aside from his ²⁴deed and conceal pride from a man;

18 he keeps back his soul from the pit, his life from ²⁵perishing by the sword.

19 "Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed and with continual strife in his ²⁶bones,

20 so that his ²⁷life loathes bread, and his appetite ²⁸the choicest food.

21 His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen ²⁹stick out.

22 His soul draws near ³⁰the pit, and his life to ³¹those who bring death.

23 If there be for him ³²an angel, ³³a mediator, ³⁴one of the thousand, to declare to man what is ³⁵right for him,

24 and he is merciful to him, and says, 'Deliver him from going down into the pit; I have found ³⁶a ransom;

25 let his flesh ³⁷become fresh with youth; let him return to the days of his youthful vigor';

26 then man^c³⁸prays to God, and he accepts him; he ³⁹sees his face with a shout of joy, and he ⁴⁰restores to man his righteousness.

27 He sings before men and says: 'I ⁴¹sinned and perverted what was right, and it was not repaid to me.

28 He has redeemed my ⁴²soul from going down ⁴³into the pit, and my life shall ⁴⁴look upon the light.'

29 "Behold, God does all these things, twice, ⁴⁵three times, with a man,

30 to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be lighted with ⁴⁶the light of life.

31 Pay attention, O Job, listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.

32 If you have any words, ⁴⁷answer me; ⁴⁸speak, for I desire to justify you.

33 If not, ⁴⁹listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom."

Job 33 ESV