Job 33
English Standard Version
Elihu Rebukes Job
33 “But now, hear my speech, O Job,
and listen to all my words.
2 Behold, I (A)open my mouth;
the tongue in my mouth speaks.
3 My words declare the uprightness of my heart,
and what my lips know they speak sincerely.
4 (B)The Spirit of God has made me,
and (C)the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 (D)Answer me, if you can;
(E)set your words in order before me; take your stand.
6 Behold, I am toward God as you are;
I too was pinched off from a piece of (F)clay.
7 Behold, no (G)fear of me need terrify you;
my (H)pressure will not be heavy upon you.
8 “Surely you have spoken in my ears,
and I have heard the sound of your words.
9 You say, ‘I am (I)pure, without (J)transgression;
I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Behold, he finds occasions against me,
he (K)counts me as his enemy,
11 he (L)puts my feet in the stocks
and (M)watches all my paths.’
12 “Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you,
for God is greater than man.
13 Why do you (N)contend against him,
saying, ‘He (O)will answer none of man's[a] words’?[b]
14 For God (P)speaks in one way,
(Q)and in two, though man (R)does not perceive it.
15 In (S)a dream, in (T)a vision of (U)the night,
when (V)deep sleep falls on men,
while they slumber on their beds,
16 then he (W)opens the ears of men
and terrifies[c] them with warnings,
17 that he may turn man aside from his (X)deed
and conceal pride from a man;
18 he keeps back his soul from the pit,
his life from (Y)perishing by the sword.
19 “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed
and with continual strife in his (Z)bones,
20 so that his (AA)life loathes bread,
and his appetite (AB)the choicest food.
21 His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,
and his bones that were not seen (AC)stick out.
22 His soul draws near (AD)the pit,
and his life to (AE)those who bring death.
23 If there be for him (AF)an angel,
(AG)a mediator, (AH)one of the thousand,
to declare to man what is (AI)right for him,
24 and he is merciful to him, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down into the pit;
I have found (AJ)a ransom;
25 let his flesh (AK)become fresh with youth;
let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’;
26 then man[d] (AL)prays to God, and he accepts him;
he (AM)sees his face with a shout of joy,
and he (AN)restores to man his righteousness.
27 He sings before men and says:
‘I (AO)sinned and perverted what was right,
and it was not repaid to me.
28 He has redeemed my (AP)soul from going down (AQ)into the pit,
and my life shall (AR)look upon the light.’
29 “Behold, God does all these things,
twice, (AS)three times, with a man,
30 to bring back his soul from the pit,
that he may be lighted with (AT)the light of life.
31 Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
32 If you have any words, (AU)answer me;
(AV)speak, for I desire to justify you.
33 If not, (AW)listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
Job 33
Common English Bible
Elihu’s appeal to be heard
33 But now, listen to me, Job;
pay attention to all my words.
2 Notice that I am opening my mouth;
my tongue is speaking in my mouth.[a]
3 My words come from a virtuous heart;
my lips speak knowledge clearly.
4 God’s spirit made me;
the Almighty’s breath enlivens me.
5 If you are able, answer me;
lay out your case[b] before me and take a stand.
6 Notice that I’m just like you to God;
I also was pinched from clay.
7 Surely fear of me shouldn’t scare you;
my pressure on you shouldn’t be heavy.
The argument
8 You certainly said in my hearing;
I heard the sound of your words:
9 “I’m pure, without sin;
I’m innocent, without offense.
10 Notice that he invents arguments against me;
he considers me his enemy,
11 ties up my feet,
watches all my paths.”
12 Now you’re wrong about this; I’ll answer you,
for God is greater than anybody.
13 Why do you contend with him,
saying that he doesn’t answer all your words?[c]
14 God speaks in one way,
in two ways, but no one perceives it.
15 In the dream, a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls upon humans,
during their slumber on a bed,
16 then he opens people’s ears,
scares them with warnings,
17 to turn them from a deed
and to smother human pride.
18 He keeps one from the pit,
a life from perishing by the sword.
19 Or a person may be disciplined by pain
while in bed, bones ever aching
20 until a person loathes food,
an appetite rejects a delicacy;
21 the flesh wastes away, no longer visible;
the bones, once hidden, protrude.
22 A life approaches the pit;
its very being draws near the death dealers.
23 Surely there’s a messenger for this person,
a mediator, one out of a thousand
to declare one’s integrity to another
24 so that God has compassion on that person and says,
“Rescue this one from going down to the pit;
I have found a ransom.”
25 That person’s flesh is renewed like a child’s;
they regain their youth.
26 They pray to God, and God is pleased with them;
they behold God’s presence
with a joyful shout.
God rewards a person’s righteousness.
27 They sing before people and say:
“I have sinned, perverted justice,
but didn’t experience the consequences.
28 He ransomed me from crossing into the pit;
my life beholds light.”
29 Look, God does all this,
twice, three times with persons
30 to bring them back from the pit,
to shine with life’s light.
31 Listen, Job; hear me;
be quiet, and I will speak.
32 If you have words, answer me;
speak, for I want to be innocent.
33 If not, you must hear me;
be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible