| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1But now, Job, pay attention to my speech, and listen to all my words. | 1"Now please listen to what I have to say, Job. Listen to every word! |
| 2I am going to open my mouth; my tongue will form words on my palate. | 2Look! I've begun to speak, and I'm fashioning my words. |
| 3My words come from my upright heart, and my lips speak with sincerity what they know. | 3I speak from the innocence of my heart; and my lips will utter what I sincerely know. |
| 4The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. | 4"The spirit of God fashioned 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! Present your case! Take your stand in my presence! |
| 6I am just like you before God; I was also pinched off from a piece of clay. | 6Look! As far as God is concerned, I'm just like you are— I, too, have been pinched off from a piece of clay. |
| 7Fear of me should not terrify you; the pressure I exert against you will be light. | 7Don't be afraid of me; I'll go easy on you." |
| 8Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard these very words: | 8"You spoke clearly so I could hear; I've heard what you've said: |
| 9"I am pure, without transgression; I am clean and have no guilt. | 9I'm pure. I'm without sin; I'm innocent. I'm harboring no iniquity inside of me. |
| 10But He finds reasons to oppose me; He regards me as His enemy. | 10Nevertheless, God has found a pretext to attack me; he considers me his enemy. |
| 11He puts my feet in the stocks; He stands watch over all my paths." | 11He has bound my feet in shackles, and keeps watching everything I do.'" |
| 12But I tell you that you are wrong in this matter, since God is greater than man. | 12"You aren't right about this; My response is that God is greater than human beings. |
| 13Why do you take Him to court for not answering anything a person asks? | 13Why are you arguing with him? He doesn't have to give explanations for what he does to you! |
| 14For God speaks time and again, but a person may not notice it. | 14"God speaks time and time again — but nobody notices— |
| 15In a dream, a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber on their beds, | 15in a dream or night vision, when a deep sleep falls on mankind while they sleep on their beds. |
| 16He uncovers their ears at that time and terrifies them with warnings, | 16That's when he opens the ear of mankind, authenticating his messages to them, |
| 17in order to turn a person from his actions and suppress his pride. | 17turning a person from his actions, keeping him from pride, |
| 18God spares his soul from the Pit, his life from crossing the river of death. | 18sparing his soul from the Pit and his life from violent death. |
| 19A person may be disciplined on his bed with pain and constant distress in his bones, | 19"He is being reproved by painful bed rest, with continual aching in his bones. |
| 20so that he detests bread, and his soul despises his favorite food. | 20He cannot stand his food, and he has no desire for appetizing food. |
| 21His flesh wastes away to nothing, and his unseen bones stick out. | 21His flesh wastes away; his bones, which once couldn't be seen, are visible. |
| 22He draws near to the Pit, and his life to the executioners. | 22His soul is getting close to the Pit; his life is approaching its executioner." |
| 23If there is an angel on his side, one mediator out of a thousand, to tell a person what is right for him | 23"If there's a messenger appointed to mediate for Job —one out of a thousand— to represent the man's integrity on his behalf, |
| 24and to be gracious to him and say, "Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom," | 24to show favor to him and to plead, 'Deliver him from having to go down to the Pit — I know where his ransom is!' |
| 25then his flesh will be healthier than in his youth, and he will return to the days of his youthful vigor. | 25Let his flesh be rejuvenated as he was in his youth! Let him recover the strength of his youth. |
| 26He will pray to God, and God will delight in him. That man will see His face with a shout of joy, and God will restore his righteousness to him. | 26Let him pray to God and he will accept him; he will appear before him with joyful shouts!" |
| 27He will look at men and say, "I have sinned and perverted what was right; yet I did not get what I deserved. | 27"He'll sing to mankind with these words: 'I've sinned. I have twisted what is right. Yet he has not repaid me like I deserve. |
| 28He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit, and I will continue to see the light." | 28He has redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit; my life will see the light.' |
| 29God certainly does all these things two or three times to a man | 29Indeed God does all these things again and again with a person |
| 30in order to turn him back from the Pit, so he may shine with the light of life. | 30to bring back his soul from the Pit; to light him with the light of life." |
| 31Pay attention, Job, and listen to me. Be quiet, and I will speak. | 31"Job, pay attention! Listen to me! Be silent and let me speak. |
| 32But if you have something to say, answer me; speak, for I would like to justify you. | 32If you have anything to say, answer me; speak up, because I'd be happy to vindicate you. |
| 33If not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom. | 33But if you have nothing to say, then at least listen to me! Be quiet and learn some wisdom from me." |
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