Christian Standard Bible | New Living Translation |
1But now, Job, pay attention to my speech, and listen to all my words. | 1“Listen to my words, Job; pay attention to what I have to say. |
2I am going to open my mouth; my tongue will form words on my palate. | 2Now that I have begun to speak, let me continue. |
3My words come from my upright heart, and my lips speak with sincerity what they know. | 3I speak with all sincerity; I speak the truth. |
4The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. | 4For the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. |
5Refute me if you can. Prepare your case against me; take your stand. | 5Answer me, if you can; make your case and take your stand. |
6I am just like you before God; I was also pinched off from a piece of clay. | 6Look, you and I both belong to God. I, too, was formed from clay. |
7Fear of me should not terrify you; no pressure from me should weigh you down. | 7So you don’t need to be afraid of me. I won’t come down hard on you. |
8Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard these very words: | 8“You have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard your very words. |
9"I am pure, without transgression; I am clean and have no iniquity. | 9You said, ‘I am pure; I am without sin; I am innocent; I have no guilt. |
10But he finds reasons to oppose me; he regards me as his enemy. | 10God is picking a quarrel with me, and he considers me his enemy. |
11He puts my feet in the stocks; he stands watch over all my paths." | 11He puts my feet in the stocks and watches my every move.’ |
12But I tell you that you are wrong in this matter, since God is greater than man. | 12“But you are wrong, and I will show you why. For God is greater than any human being. |
13Why do you take him to court for not answering anything a person asks? | 13So why are you bringing a charge against him? Why say he does not respond to people’s complaints? |
14For God speaks time and again, but a person may not notice it. | 14For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. |
15In a dream, a vision in the night, when deep sleep comes over people as they slumber on their beds, | 15He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds. |
16he uncovers their ears and terrifies them with warnings, | 16He whispers in their ears and terrifies them with warnings. |
17in order to turn a person from his actions and suppress the pride of a person. | 17He makes them turn from doing wrong; he keeps them from pride. |
18God spares his soul from the Pit, his life from crossing the river of death. | 18He protects them from the grave, from crossing over the river of death. |
19A person may be disciplined on his bed with pain and constant distress in his bones, | 19“Or God disciplines people with pain on their sickbeds, with ceaseless aching in their bones. |
20so that he detests bread, and his soul despises his favorite food. | 20They lose their appetite for even the most delicious food. |
21His flesh wastes away to nothing, and his unseen bones stick out. | 21Their flesh wastes away, and their bones stick out. |
22He draws near to the Pit, and his life to the executioners. | 22They are at death’s door; the angels of death wait for them. |
23If there is an angel on his side, one mediator out of a thousand, to tell a person what is right for him | 23“But if an angel from heaven appears— a special messenger to intercede for a person and declare that he is upright— |
24and to be gracious to him and say, "Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom," | 24he will be gracious and say, ‘Rescue him from the grave, for I have found a ransom for his life.’ |
25then his flesh will be healthier than in his youth, and he will return to the days of his youthful vigor. | 25Then his body will become as healthy as a child’s, firm and youthful again. |
26He will pray to God, and God will delight in him. That person will see his face with a shout of joy, and God will restore his righteousness to him. | 26When he prays to God, he will be accepted. And God will receive him with joy and restore him to good standing. |
27He will look at men and say, "I have sinned and perverted what was right; yet I did not get what I deserved. | 27He will declare to his friends, ‘I sinned and twisted the truth, but it was not worth it. |
28He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit, and I will continue to see the light." | 28God rescued me from the grave, and now my life is filled with light.’ |
29God certainly does all these things two or three times to a person | 29“Yes, God does these things again and again for people. |
30in order to turn him back from the Pit, so he may shine with the light of life. | 30He rescues them from the grave so they may enjoy the light of life. |
31Pay attention, Job, and listen to me. Be quiet, and I will speak. | 31Mark this well, Job. Listen to me, for I have more to say. |
32But if you have something to say, answer me; speak, for I would like to justify you. | 32But if you have anything to say, go ahead. Speak, for I am anxious to see you justified. |
33If not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom. | 33But if not, then listen to me. Keep silent and I will teach you wisdom!” |
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
|