Job 33 (New International Version)

1 "But now, Job, listen¹ to my words; pay attention to everything I say.² 2 I am about to open my mouth; my words are on the tip of my tongue. 3 My words come from an upright heart;³ my lips sincerely speak what I know.⁴ 4 The Spirit⁵ of God has made me;⁶ the breath of the Almighty⁷ gives me life.⁸ 5 Answer me⁹ then, if you can; prepare¹⁰ yourself and confront me.¹¹ 6 I am just like you before God;¹² I too have been taken from clay.¹³ 7 No fear of me should alarm you, nor should my hand be heavy upon you.¹⁴ 8 "But you have said in my hearing-- I heard the very words-- 9 'I am pure¹⁵ and without sin;¹⁶ I am clean and free from guilt.¹⁷ 10 Yet God has found fault with me; he considers me his enemy.¹⁸ 11 He fastens my feet in shackles;¹⁹ he keeps close watch on all my paths.'²⁰ 12 "But I tell you, in this you are not right, for God is greater than man.²¹ 13 Why do you complain to him²² that he answers none of man's words^a ?²³ 14 For God does speak²⁴--now one way, now another²⁵-- though man may not perceive it.²⁶ 15 In a dream,²⁷ in a vision²⁸ of the night,²⁹ when deep sleep³⁰ falls on men as they slumber in their beds, 16 he may speak³¹ in their ears and terrify them³² with warnings,³³ 17 to turn man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride,³⁴ 18 to preserve his soul from the pit,^b35 his life from perishing by the sword.^c36 19 Or a man may be chastened³⁷ on a bed of pain³⁸ with constant distress in his bones,³⁹ 20 so that his very being finds food⁴⁰ repulsive and his soul loathes the choicest meal.⁴¹ 21 His flesh wastes away to nothing, and his bones,⁴² once hidden, now stick out.⁴³ 22 His soul draws near to the pit,^d44 and his life to the messengers of death.^e45 23 "Yet if there is an angel on his side as a mediator,⁴⁶ one out of a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him,⁴⁷ 24 to be gracious to him and say, 'Spare him from going down to the pit^f;⁴⁸ I have found a ransom for him'⁴⁹-- 25 then his flesh is renewed⁵⁰ like a child's; it is restored as in the days of his youth.⁵¹ 26 He prays to God and finds favor with him,⁵² he sees God's face and shouts for joy;⁵³ he is restored by God to his righteous state.⁵⁴ 27 Then he comes to men and says, 'I sinned,⁵⁵ and perverted what was right,⁵⁶ but I did not get what I deserved.⁵⁷ 28 He redeemed⁵⁸ my soul from going down to the pit,^g59 and I will live to enjoy the light.'⁶⁰ 29 "God does all these things to a man⁶¹-- twice, even three times⁶²-- 30 to turn back⁶³ his soul from the pit,^h64 that the light of life⁶⁵ may shine on him.⁶⁶ 31 "Pay attention, Job, and listen⁶⁷ to me;⁶⁸ be silent,⁶⁹ and I will speak. 32 If you have anything to say, answer me;⁷⁰ speak up, for I want you to be cleared.⁷¹ 33 But if not, then listen to me;⁷² be silent,⁷³ and I will teach you wisdom.⁷⁴"