New International Version

Darby Bible Translation

“But now, Job, listen to my words;
pay attention to everything I say.

1

Elihu Rebukes Job

Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear mine utterances, and hearken to all my words.

2

I am about to open my mouth;
my words are on the tip of my tongue.

2

Behold now, I have opened my mouth, my tongue speaketh in my palate,

3

My words come from an upright heart;
my lips sincerely speak what I know.

3

My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart, and my lips shall utter knowledge purely.

4

The Spirit of God has made me;
the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

4

The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

5

Answer me then, if you can;
stand up and argue your case before me.

5

If thou canst, answer me; array [thy words] before me: take thy stand.

6

I am the same as you in God’s sight;
I too am a piece of clay.

6

Behold, before God I am as thou; I also am formed out of the clay.

7

No fear of me should alarm you,
nor should my hand be heavy on you.

7

Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, nor my burden be heavy upon thee.

8

“But you have said in my hearing —
I heard the very words —

8

Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of [thy] words: --

9

‘I am pure, I have done no wrong;
I am clean and free from sin.

9

I am clean without transgression; I am pure, and there is no iniquity in me;

10

Yet God has found fault with me;
he considers me his enemy.

10

Lo, he findeth occasions of hostility against me, he counteth me for his enemy;

11

He fastens my feet in shackles;
he keeps close watch on all my paths.’

11

He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.

12

“But I tell you, in this you are not right,
for God is greater than any mortal.

12

Behold, I will answer thee in this, thou art not right; for +God is greater than man.

13

Why do you complain to him
that he responds to no one’s wordsa?

13

Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.

14

For God does speak — now one way, now another —
though no one perceives it.

14

For God speaketh once, and twice, -- [and man] perceiveth it not --

15

In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on people
as they slumber in their beds,

15

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

16

he may speak in their ears
and terrify them with warnings,

16

Then he openeth men's ears, and sealeth their instruction,

17

to turn them from wrongdoing
and keep them from pride,

17

That he may withdraw man [from his] work, and hide pride from man.

18

to preserve them from the pit,
their lives from perishing by the sword.b

18

He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from passing away by the sword.

19

“Or someone may be chastened on a bed of pain
with constant distress in their bones,

19

He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and with constant strife in his bones;

20

so that their body finds food repulsive
and their soul loathes the choicest meal.

20

And his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty food;

21

Their flesh wastes away to nothing,
and their bones, once hidden, now stick out.

21

His flesh is consumed away from view, and his bones that were not seen stick out;

22

They draw near to the pit,
and their life to the messengers of death.c

22

And his soul draweth near to the pit, and his life to the destroyers.

23

Yet if there is an angel at their side,
a messenger, one out of a thousand,
sent to tell them how to be upright,

23

If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his duty;

24

and he is gracious to that person and says to God,
‘Spare them from going down to the pit;
I have found a ransom for them —

24

Then he will be gracious unto him, and say, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.

25

let their flesh be renewed like a child’s;
let them be restored as in the days of their youth’ —

25

His flesh shall be fresher than in childhood; he shall return to the days of his youth.

26

then that person can pray to God and find favor with him,
they will see God’s face and shout for joy;
he will restore them to full well-being.

26

He shall pray unto +God, and he will receive him with favour; and he shall see his face with shoutings, and he will render unto man his righteousness.

27

And they will go to others and say,
‘I have sinned, I have perverted what is right,
but I did not get what I deserved.

27

He will sing before men, and say, I have sinned, and perverted what was right, and it hath not been requited to me;

28

God has delivered me from going down to the pit,
and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’

28

He hath delivered my soul from going into the pit, and my life shall see the light.

29

“God does all these things to a person —
twice, even three times —

29

Lo, all these [things] worketh God twice, thrice, with man,

30

to turn them back from the pit,
that the light of life may shine on them.

30

To bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.

31

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

31

Mark well, Job, hearken unto me; be silent, and I will speak.

32

If you have anything to say, answer me;
speak up, for I want to vindicate you.

32

If thou hast anything to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify thee.

33

But if not, then listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

33

If not, hearken thou unto me; be silent, and I will teach thee wisdom.

Parallel

New International Version

Darby Bible Translation

Job 33

Job 33