| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words. | 1"But now, Job, listen to my words; pay attention to everything I say. |
| 2Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth. | 2I am about to open my mouth; my words are on the tip of my tongue. |
| 3My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly. | 3My words come from an upright heart; my lips sincerely speak what I know. |
| 4The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. | 4The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. |
| 5If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up. | 5Answer me then, if you can; stand up and argue your case before me. |
| 6Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay. | 6I am the same as you in God's sight; I too am a piece of clay. |
| 7Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee. | 7No fear of me should alarm you, nor should my hand be heavy on you. |
| 8Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying, | 8"But you have said in my hearing-- I heard the very words-- |
| 9I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me. | 9I am pure, I have done no wrong; I am clean and free from sin. |
| 10Behold, he findeth occasions against me, he counteth me for his enemy, | 10Yet God has found fault with me; he considers me his enemy. |
| 11He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths. | 11He fastens my feet in shackles; he keeps close watch on all my paths.' |
| 12Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man. | 12"But I tell you, in this you are not right, for God is greater than any mortal. |
| 13Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters. | 13Why do you complain to him that he responds to no one's words? |
| 14For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. | 14For God does speak--now one way, now another-- though no one perceives it. |
| 15In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; | 15In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds, |
| 16Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, | 16he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings, |
| 17That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. | 17to turn them from wrongdoing and keep them from pride, |
| 18He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword. | 18to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword. |
| 19He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain: | 19"Or someone may be chastened on a bed of pain with constant distress in their bones, |
| 20So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat. | 20so that their body finds food repulsive and their soul loathes the choicest meal. |
| 21His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out. | 21Their flesh wastes away to nothing, and their bones, once hidden, now stick out. |
| 22Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers. | 22They draw near to the pit, and their life to the messengers of death. |
| 23If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness: | 23Yet if there is an angel at their side, a messenger, one out of a thousand, sent to tell them how to be upright, |
| 24Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. | 24and 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-- |
| 25His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth: | 25let their flesh be renewed like a child's; let them be restored as in the days of their youth'-- |
| 26He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness. | 26then 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. |
| 27He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; | 27And they will go to others and say, 'I have sinned, I have perverted what is right, but I did not get what I deserved. |
| 28He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light. | 28God has delivered me from going down to the pit, and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.' |
| 29Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man, | 29"God does all these things to a person-- twice, even three times-- |
| 30To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living. | 30to turn them back from the pit, that the light of life may shine on them. |
| 31Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I will speak. | 31"Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak. |
| 32If thou hast any thing to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify thee. | 32If you have anything to say, answer me; speak up, for I want to vindicate you. |
| 33If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom. | 33But if not, then listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom." |
|
