New International Version NIV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 “But now, Job, listen to my words; pay attention to everything I say.
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"But now, hear my speech, O Job, and listen to all my words.
2 I am about to open my mouth; my words are on the tip of my tongue.
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Behold, I open my mouth; the tongue in my mouth speaks.
3 My words come from an upright heart; my lips sincerely speak what I know.
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My words declare the uprightness of my heart, and what my lips know they speak sincerely.
4 The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
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The spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 Answer me then, if you can; stand up and argue your case before me.
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Answer me, if you can; set your words in order before me; take your stand.
6 I am the same as you in God’s sight; I too am a piece of clay.
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Behold, I am toward God as you are; I too was formed from a piece of clay.
7 No fear of me should alarm you, nor should my hand be heavy on you.
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Behold, no fear of me need terrify you; my pressure will not be heavy upon you.
8 “But you have said in my hearing— I heard the very words—
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"Surely, you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the sound of your words.
9 ‘I am pure, I have done no wrong; I am clean and free from sin.
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You say, 'I am clean, without transgression; I am pure, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Yet God has found fault with me; he considers me his enemy.
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Behold, he finds occasions against me, he counts me as his enemy;
11 He fastens my feet in shackles; he keeps close watch on all my paths.’
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he puts my feet in the stocks, and watches all my paths.'
12 “But I tell you, in this you are not right, for God is greater than any mortal.
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"Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you. God is greater than man.
13 Why do you complain to him that he responds to no one’s words ?
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Why do you contend against him, saying, 'He will answer none of my words'?
14 For God does speak—now one way, now another— though no one perceives it.
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For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds,
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In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while they slumber on their beds,
16 he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings,
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then he opens the ears of men, and terrifies them with warnings,
17 to turn them from wrongdoing and keep them from pride,
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that he may turn man aside from his deed, and cut off pride from man;
18 to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword.
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he keeps back his soul from the Pit, his life from perishing by the sword.
19 “Or someone may be chastened on a bed of pain with constant distress in their bones,
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"Man is also chastened with pain upon his bed, and with continual strife in his bones;
20 so that their body finds food repulsive and their soul loathes the choicest meal.
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so that his life loathes bread, and his appetite dainty food.
21 Their flesh wastes away to nothing, and their bones, once hidden, now stick out.
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His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen; and his bones which were not seen stick out.
22 They draw near to the pit, and their life to the messengers of death.
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His soul draws near the Pit, and his life to those who bring death.
23 Yet if there is an angel at their side, a messenger, one out of a thousand, sent to tell them how to be upright,
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If there be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand, to declare to man what is right for him;
24 and 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—
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and he is gracious to him, and says, 'Deliver him from going down into the Pit, I have found a ransom;
25 let their flesh be renewed like a child’s; let them be restored as in the days of their youth’—
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let his flesh become fresh with youth; let him return to the days of his youthful vigor';
26 then 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.
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then man prays to God, and he accepts him, he comes into his presence with joy. He recounts to men his salvation,
27 And they will go to others and say, ‘I have sinned, I have perverted what is right, but I did not get what I deserved.
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and he sings before men, and says: 'I sinned and perverted what was right, and it was not requited to me.
28 God has delivered me from going down to the pit, and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’
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He has redeemed my soul from going down into the Pit, and my life shall see the light.'
29 “God does all these things to a person— twice, even three times—
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"Behold, God does all these things, twice, three times, with a man,
30 to turn them back from the pit, that the light of life may shine on them.
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to bring back his soul from the Pit, that he may see the light of life.
31 “Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.
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Give heed, O Job, listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me; speak up, for I want to vindicate you.
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If you have anything to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify you.
33 But if not, then listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
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If not, listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom."
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.