New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
1"But now, Job, listen to my words; pay attention to everything I say. | 1“But now, O Job, hear my speech, and listen to all my words. |
2I am about to open my mouth; my words are on the tip of my tongue. | 2Behold, I will open my mouth; my address is on the tip of my tongue. |
3My words come from an upright heart; my lips sincerely speak what I know. | 3My words are from an upright heart, and my lips speak sincerely what I know. |
4The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. | 4The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. |
5Answer me then, if you can; stand up and argue your case before me. | 5Refute me if you can; prepare your case and confront me. |
6I am the same as you in God's sight; I too am a piece of clay. | 6I am just like you before God; I was also formed from clay. |
7No fear of me should alarm you, nor should my hand be heavy on you. | 7Surely no fear of me should terrify you; nor will my hand be heavy upon you. |
8"But you have said in my hearing-- I heard the very words-- | 8Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard these very words: |
9I am pure, I have done no wrong; I am clean and free from sin. | 9‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, with no iniquity in me. |
10Yet God has found fault with me; he considers me his enemy. | 10Yet God finds occasions against me; He counts me as His enemy. |
11He fastens my feet in shackles; he keeps close watch on all my paths.' | 11He puts my feet in the stocks; He watches over all my paths.’ |
12"But I tell you, in this you are not right, for God is greater than any mortal. | 12Behold, you are not right in this matter. I will answer you, for God is greater than man. |
13Why do you complain to him that he responds to no one's words? | 13Why do you complain to Him that He answers nothing a man asks? |
14For God does speak--now one way, now another-- though no one perceives it. | 14For God speaks in one way and in another, yet no one notices. |
15In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds, | 15In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds, |
16he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings, | 16He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings |
17to turn them from wrongdoing and keep them from pride, | 17to turn a man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride, |
18to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword. | 18to preserve his soul from the Pit and his life from perishing by the sword. |
19"Or someone may be chastened on a bed of pain with constant distress in their bones, | 19A man is also chastened on his bed with pain and constant distress in his bones, |
20so that their body finds food repulsive and their soul loathes the choicest meal. | 20so that he detests his bread, and his soul loathes his favorite food. |
21Their flesh wastes away to nothing, and their bones, once hidden, now stick out. | 21His flesh wastes away from sight, and his hidden bones protrude. |
22They draw near to the pit, and their life to the messengers of death. | 22He draws near to the Pit, and his life to the messengers of death. |
23Yet if there is an angel at their side, a messenger, one out of a thousand, sent to tell them how to be upright, | 23Yet if there is a messenger on his side, one mediator in a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him, |
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-- | 24to be gracious to him and say, ‘Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found his ransom,’ |
25let their flesh be renewed like a child's; let them be restored as in the days of their youth'-- | 25then his flesh is refreshed like a child’s; he returns to the days of his youth. |
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. | 26He prays to God and finds favor; he sees God’s face and shouts for joy, and God restores His righteousness to that man. |
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. | 27Then he sings before men with these words: ‘I have sinned and perverted what was right; yet I did not get what I deserved. |
28God has delivered me from going down to the pit, and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.' | 28He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit, and I will live to see the light.’ |
29"God does all these things to a person-- twice, even three times-- | 29Behold, all these things God does to a man, two or even three times, |
30to turn them back from the pit, that the light of life may shine on them. | 30to bring back his soul from the Pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life. |
31"Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak. | 31Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak. |
32If you have anything to say, answer me; speak up, for I want to vindicate you. | 32But if you have something to say, answer me; speak up, for I would like to vindicate you. |
33But if not, then listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom." | 33But if not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.” |
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