33 “But now, Job, listen^(A) to my words;
    pay attention to everything I say.^(B)
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;^(C)
    my lips sincerely speak what I know.^(D)
4 The Spirit^(E) of God has made me;^(F)
    the breath of the Almighty^(G) gives me life.^(H)
5 Answer me^(I) then, if you can;
    stand up^(J) and argue your case before me.^(K)
6 I am the same as you in God’s sight;^(L)
    I too am a piece of clay.^(M)
7 No fear of me should alarm you,
    nor should my hand be heavy on you.^(N)

⁸ “But you have said in my hearing—
    I heard the very words—
⁹ ‘I am pure,^(O) I have done no wrong;^(P)
    I am clean and free from sin.^(Q)
10 Yet God has found fault with me;
    he considers me his enemy.^(R)
11 He fastens my feet in shackles;^(S)
    he keeps close watch on all my paths.’^(T)

¹² “But I tell you, in this you are not right,
    for God is greater than any mortal.^(U)
13 Why do you complain to him^(V)
    that he responds to no one’s words^[a]?^(W)
14 For God does speak^(X)—now one way, now another^(Y)—
    though no one perceives it.^(Z)
15 In a dream,^(AA) in a vision^(AB) of the night,^(AC)
    when deep sleep^(AD) falls on people
    as they slumber in their beds,
¹⁶ he may speak^(AE) in their ears
    and terrify them^(AF) with warnings,^(AG)
17 to turn them from wrongdoing
    and keep them from pride,^(AH)
18 to preserve them from the pit,^(AI)
    their lives from perishing by the sword.^[b](AJ)

¹⁹ “Or someone may be chastened^(AK) on a bed of pain^(AL)
    with constant distress in their bones,^(AM)
20 so that their body finds food^(AN) repulsive
    and their soul loathes the choicest meal.^(AO)
21 Their flesh wastes away to nothing,
    and their bones,^(AP) once hidden, now stick out.^(AQ)
22 They draw near to the pit,^(AR)
    and their life to the messengers of death.^[c](AS)
23 Yet if there is an angel at their side,
    a messenger,^(AT) one out of a thousand,
    sent to tell them how to be upright,^(AU)
24 and he is gracious to that person and says to God,
    ‘Spare them from going down to the pit;^(AV)
    I have found a ransom for them^(AW)—
²⁵ let their flesh be renewed^(AX) like a child’s;
    let them be restored as in the days of their youth’^(AY)—
²⁶ then that person can pray to God and find favor with him,^(AZ)
    they will see God’s face and shout for joy;^(BA)
    he will restore them to full well-being.^(BB)
27 And they will go to others and say,
    ‘I have sinned,^(BC) I have perverted what is right,^(BD)
    but I did not get what I deserved.^(BE)
28 God has delivered^(BF) me from going down to the pit,^(BG)
    and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’^(BH)

²⁹ “God does all these things to a person^(BI)—
    twice, even three times^(BJ)—
³⁰ to turn them back^(BK) from the pit,^(BL)
    that the light of life^(BM) may shine on them.^(BN)

³¹ “Pay attention, Job, and listen^(BO) to me;^(BP)
    be silent,^(BQ) and I will speak.
³² If you have anything to say, answer me;^(BR)
    speak up, for I want to vindicate you.^(BS)
33 But if not, then listen to me;^(BT)
    be silent,^(BU) and I will teach you wisdom.^(BV)”

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way”^[c](C)—
³ “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.’”^[d](D)

² Let the redeemed^(C) of the Lord tell their story—
    those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
³ those he gathered^(D) from the lands,
    from east and west, from north and south.^[a]

⁴ Some wandered in desert^(E) wastelands,
    finding no way to a city^(F) where they could settle.
⁵ They were hungry^(G) and thirsty,^(H)
    and their lives ebbed away.
⁶ Then they cried out^(I) to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
⁷ He led them by a straight way^(J)
    to a city^(K) where they could settle.
⁸ Let them give thanks^(L) to the Lord for his unfailing love^(M)
    and his wonderful deeds^(N) for mankind,
⁹ for he satisfies^(O) the thirsty
    and fills the hungry with good things.^(P)

¹⁰ Some sat in darkness,^(Q) in utter darkness,
    prisoners suffering^(R) in iron chains,^(S)
11 because they rebelled^(T) against God’s commands
    and despised^(U) the plans^(V) of the Most High.
¹² So he subjected them to bitter labor;
    they stumbled, and there was no one to help.^(W)
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he saved them^(X) from their distress.
¹⁴ He brought them out of darkness,^(Y) the utter darkness,^(Z)
    and broke away their chains.^(AA)
15 Let them give thanks^(AB) to the Lord for his unfailing love^(AC)
    and his wonderful deeds^(AD) for mankind,
¹⁶ for he breaks down gates of bronze
    and cuts through bars of iron.

¹⁷ Some became fools^(AE) through their rebellious ways^(AF)
    and suffered affliction^(AG) because of their iniquities.
¹⁸ They loathed all food^(AH)
    and drew near the gates of death.^(AI)
19 Then they cried^(AJ) to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he saved them^(AK) from their distress.
²⁰ He sent out his word^(AL) and healed them;^(AM)
    he rescued^(AN) them from the grave.^(AO)
21 Let them give thanks^(AP) to the Lord for his unfailing love^(AQ)
    and his wonderful deeds^(AR) for mankind.
²² Let them sacrifice thank offerings^(AS)
    and tell of his works^(AT) with songs of joy.^(AU)

²³ Some went out on the sea^(AV) in ships;^(AW)
    they were merchants on the mighty waters.
²⁴ They saw the works of the Lord,^(AX)
    his wonderful deeds in the deep.
²⁵ For he spoke^(AY) and stirred up a tempest^(AZ)
    that lifted high the waves.^(BA)
26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
    in their peril^(BB) their courage melted^(BC) away.
²⁷ They reeled^(BD) and staggered like drunkards;
    they were at their wits’ end.
²⁸ Then they cried^(BE) out to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he brought them out of their distress.^(BF)
29 He stilled the storm^(BG) to a whisper;
    the waves^(BH) of the sea^[b] were hushed.^(BI)
30 They were glad when it grew calm,
    and he guided them^(BJ) to their desired haven.
³¹ Let them give thanks^(BK) to the Lord for his unfailing love^(BL)
    and his wonderful deeds^(BM) for mankind.
³² Let them exalt^(BN) him in the assembly^(BO) of the people
    and praise him in the council of the elders.

³³ He turned rivers into a desert,^(BP)
    flowing springs^(BQ) into thirsty ground,
³⁴ and fruitful land into a salt waste,^(BR)
    because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
³⁵ He turned the desert into pools of water^(BS)
    and the parched ground into flowing springs;^(BT)
36 there he brought the hungry to live,
    and they founded a city where they could settle.
³⁷ They sowed fields and planted vineyards^(BU)
    that yielded a fruitful harvest;
³⁸ he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,^(BV)
    and he did not let their herds diminish.^(BW)

³⁹ Then their numbers decreased,^(BX) and they were humbled^(BY)
    by oppression, calamity and sorrow;
⁴⁰ he who pours contempt on nobles^(BZ)
    made them wander in a trackless waste.^(CA)
41 But he lifted the needy^(CB) out of their affliction
    and increased their families like flocks.^(CC)
42 The upright see and rejoice,^(CD)
    but all the wicked shut their mouths.^(CE)

⁴³ Let the one who is wise^(CF) heed these things
    and ponder the loving deeds^(CG) of the Lord.