The Bible in Basic English BBE
Good News Translation GNT
1 And now, O Job, give ear to my words, and take note of all I say.
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And now, Job, listen carefully to all that I have to say.
2 See, now my mouth is open, my tongue gives out words.
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I am ready to say what's on my mind.
3 My heart is overflowing with knowledge, my lips say what is true.
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All my words are sincere, and I am speaking the truth.
4 The spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Ruler of all gives me life.
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God's spirit made me and gave me life.
5 If you are able, give me an answer; put your cause in order, and come forward.
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Answer me if you can. Prepare your arguments.
6 See, I am the same as you are in the eyes of God; I was cut off from the same bit of wet earth.
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You and I are the same in God's sight, both of us were formed from clay.
7 Fear of me will not overcome you, and my hand will not be hard on you.
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So you have no reason to fear me; I will not overpower you.
8 But you said in my hearing, and your voice came to my ears:
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Now this is what I heard you say:
9 I am clean, without sin; I am washed, and there is no evil in me:
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"I am not guilty; I have done nothing wrong. I am innocent and free from sin.
10 See, he is looking for something against me; in his eyes I am as one of his haters;
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But God finds excuses for attacking me and treats me like an enemy.
11 He puts chains on my feet; he is watching all my ways.
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He binds chains on my feet; he watches every move I make."
12 Truly, in saying this you are wrong; for God is greater than man.
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But I tell you, Job, you are wrong. God is greater than any human being.
13 Why do you put forward your cause against him, saying, He gives no answer to any of my words?
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Why do you accuse God of never answering our complaints?
14 For God gives his word in one way, even in two, and man is not conscious of it:
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Although God speaks again and again, no one pays attention to what he says.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep comes on men, while they take their rest on their beds;
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At night when people are asleep, God speaks in dreams and visions.
16 Then he makes his secrets clear to men, so that they are full of fear at what they see;
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He makes them listen to what he says, and they are frightened at his warnings.
17 In order that man may be turned from his evil works, and that pride may be taken away from him;
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God speaks to make them stop their sinning and to save them from becoming proud.
18 To keep back his soul from the underworld, and his life from destruction.
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He will not let them be destroyed; he saves them from death itself.
19 Pain is sent on him as a punishment, while he is on his bed; there is no end to the trouble in his bones;
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God corrects us by sending sickness and filling our bodies with pain.
20 He has no desire for food, and his soul is turned away from delicate meat;
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Those who are sick lose their appetites, and even the finest food looks revolting.
21 His flesh is so wasted away, that it may not be seen, and his bones. ...
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Their bodies waste away to nothing; you can see all their bones;
22 And his soul comes near to the underworld, and his life to the angels of death.
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they are about to go to the world of the dead.
23 If now there may be an angel sent to him, one of the thousands which there are to be between him and God, and to make clear to man what is right for him;
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Perhaps an angel may come to their aid - one of God's thousands of angels, who remind us of our duty.
24 And if he has mercy on him, and says, Let him not go down to the underworld, I have given the price for his life:
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In mercy the angel will say, "Release them! They are not to go down to the world of the dead. Here is the ransom to set them free."
25 Then his flesh becomes young again, and he comes back to the days of his early strength;
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Their bodies will grow young and strong again;
26 He makes his prayer to God, and he has mercy on him; he sees God's face with cries of joy; he gives news of his righteousness to men;
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when they pray, God will answer; they will worship God with joy; God will set things right for them again.
27 He makes a song, saying, I did wrong, turning from the straight way, but he did not give me the reward of my sin.
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Each one will say in public, "I have sinned. I have not done right, but God spared me.
28 He kept my soul from the underworld, and my life sees the light in full measure.
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He kept me from going to the world of the dead, and I am still alive."
29 Truly, God does all these things to man, twice and three times,
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God does all this again and again;
30 Keeping back his soul from the underworld, so that he may see the light of life.
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each one saves a person's life, and gives him the joy of living.
31 Take note O Job, give ear to me; keep quiet, while I say what is in my mind.
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Now, Job, listen to what I am saying; be quiet and let me speak.
32 If you have anything to say, give me an answer; for it is my desire that you may be judged free from sin.
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But if you have something to say, let me hear it; I would gladly admit you are in the right.
33 If not, give attention to me, and keep quiet, and I will give you wisdom.
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But if not, be quiet and listen to me, and I will teach you how to be wise.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.