Job 33
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Elihu Rebukes Job
33 “But now, hear my speech, O Job,
and listen to all my words.
2 See, I 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.(A)
4 The spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty[a] gives me life.(B)
5 Answer me, if you can;
set your words in order before me; take your stand.(C)
6 See, before God I am as you are;
I, too, was formed from a piece of clay.
7 No fear of me need terrify you;
my pressure will not be heavy on you.(D)
8 “Surely, you have spoken in my hearing,
and I have heard the sound of your words.
9 You say, ‘I am clean, without transgression;
I am pure, and there is no iniquity in me.(E)
10 Look, he finds occasions against me;
he counts me as his enemy;(F)
11 he puts my feet in the stocks
and watches all my paths.’(G)
12 “But in this you are not right. I will answer you:
God is greater than any mortal.
13 Why do you contend against him,
saying, ‘He will answer none of my[b] words’?(H)
14 For God speaks in one way
and in two, though people do not perceive it.(I)
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on mortals,
while they slumber on their beds,(J)
16 then he opens their ears
and terrifies them with warnings,(K)
17 that he may turn them aside from their deeds
and keep them from pride,
18 to spare their souls from the Pit,
their lives from traversing the River.
19 They are also chastened with pain upon their beds
and with continual strife in their bones,(L)
20 so that their lives loathe bread
and their appetites dainty food.(M)
21 Their flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,
and their bones, once invisible, now stick out.(N)
22 Their souls draw near the Pit
and their lives to those who bring death.(O)
23 Then, if there should be for one of them an angel,
a mediator, one of a thousand,
one who declares a person upright,(P)
24 and he is gracious to that person and says,
‘Deliver him from going down into the Pit;
I have found a ransom;(Q)
25 let his flesh become fresh with youth;
let him return to the days of his youthful vigor,’(R)
26 then he prays to God and is accepted by him;
he comes into his presence with joy,
and God[c] repays him for his righteousness.(S)
27 That person sings to others and says,
‘I sinned and perverted what was right,
and it was not paid back to me.(T)
28 He has redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit,
and my life shall see the light.’(U)
29 “God indeed does all these things,
twice, three times, with mortals,(V)
30 to bring back their souls from the Pit,
so that they may see the light of life.[d](W)
31 Pay heed, Job, listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me;
speak, for I desire to justify you.
33 If not, listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”(X)
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.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible