Job 33
The Message
33 1-4 “So please, Job, hear me out,
honor me by listening to me.
What I’m about to say
has been carefully thought out.
I have no ulterior motives in this;
I’m speaking honestly from my heart.
The Spirit of God made me what I am,
the breath of God Almighty gave me life!
God Always Answers, One Way or Another
5-7 “And if you think you can prove me wrong, do it.
Lay out your arguments. Stand up for yourself!
Look, I’m human—no better than you;
we’re both made of the same kind of mud.
So let’s work this through together;
don’t let my aggressiveness overwhelm you.
8-11 “Here’s what you said.
I heard you say it with my own ears.
You said, ‘I’m pure—I’ve done nothing wrong.
Believe me, I’m clean—my conscience is clear.
But God keeps picking on me;
he treats me like I’m his enemy.
He’s thrown me in jail;
he keeps me under constant surveillance.’
12-14 “But let me tell you, Job, you’re wrong, dead wrong!
God is far greater than any human.
So how dare you haul him into court,
and then complain that he won’t answer your charges?
God always answers, one way or another,
even when people don’t recognize his presence.
15-18 “In a dream, for instance, a vision at night,
when men and women are deep in sleep,
fast asleep in their beds—
God opens their ears
and impresses them with warnings
To turn them back from something bad they’re planning,
from some reckless choice,
And keep them from an early grave,
from the river of no return.
19-22 “Or, God might get their attention through pain,
by throwing them on a bed of suffering,
So they can’t stand the sight of food,
have no appetite for their favorite treats.
They lose weight, wasting away to nothing,
reduced to a bag of bones.
They hang on the cliff-edge of death,
knowing the next breath may be their last.
23-25 “But even then an angel could come,
a champion—there are thousands of them!—
to take up your cause,
A messenger who would mercifully intervene,
canceling the death sentence with the words:
‘I’ve come up with the ransom!’
Before you know it, you’re healed,
the very picture of health!
26-28 “Or, you may fall on your knees and pray—to God’s delight!
You’ll see God’s smile and celebrate,
finding yourself set right with God.
You’ll sing God’s praises to everyone you meet,
testifying, ‘I messed up my life—
and let me tell you, it wasn’t worth it.
But God stepped in and saved me from certain death.
I’m alive again! Once more I see the light!’
29-30 “This is the way God works.
Over and over again
He pulls our souls back from certain destruction
so we’ll see the light—and live in the light!
31-33 “Keep listening, Job.
Don’t interrupt—I’m not finished yet.
But if you think of anything I should know, tell me.
There’s nothing I’d like better than to see your name cleared.
Meanwhile, keep listening. Don’t distract me with interruptions.
I’m going to teach you the basics of wisdom.”
Job 33
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Eliú censura a Job
33 »Por tanto, Job, oye ahora mi discurso,
Y presta atención a todas mis palabras(A).
2 -»Ahora abro mi boca,
En mi paladar habla mi lengua.
3 -»Mis palabras proceden de la rectitud de mi corazón,
Y con sinceridad mis labios hablan lo que saben[a](B).
4 -»El Espíritu de Dios me ha hecho(C),
Y el aliento del Todopoderoso[b] me da vida(D).
5 -»Contradíceme si puedes(E);
Colócate delante de mí, ponte en pie.
6 -»Yo, al igual que tú, pertenezco a Dios;
Del barro yo también he sido formado[c](F).
7 -»Mi temor no te debe espantar,
Ni mi mano[d] agravarse sobre ti(G).
8 ¶»Ciertamente has hablado a oídos míos,
Y el sonido de tus palabras he oído:
9 “Yo soy limpio(H), sin transgresión(I);
Soy inocente y en mí no hay culpa(J).
10 -”Dios busca[e] pretextos contra mí;
Me tiene como Su enemigo(K).
11 -”Pone mis pies en el cepo;
Vigila todas mis sendas(L)”.
12 -»Pero déjame decirte[f] que no tienes razón en esto,
Porque Dios es más grande que el hombre(M).
13 ¶»¿Por qué te quejas contra Él,
Diciendo que no da cuenta de todas Sus acciones(N)?
14 -»Ciertamente Dios habla una vez,
Y otra vez[g](O), pero nadie se da cuenta de ello.
15 -»(P)En un sueño, en una visión nocturna,
Cuando un sueño profundo cae sobre los hombres,
Mientras dormitan en sus lechos,
16 Entonces Él abre el oído de los hombres,
Y sella su instrucción(Q),
17 Para apartar al hombre de sus obras,
Y del orgullo guardarlo[h];
18 Libra su alma de la fosa(R)
Y su vida de pasar al Seol[i](S).
19 ¶»El hombre es castigado también con dolor en su lecho,
Y con queja continua en sus huesos(T),
20 Para que su vida aborrezca el pan,
Y su alma el alimento favorito(U).
21 -»Su carne desaparece a la vista(V),
Y sus huesos que no se veían, aparecen(W).
22 -»Entonces su alma se acerca a la fosa(X),
Y su vida a los que causan la muerte.
23 ¶»Si hay un ángel que sea su mediador(Y),
Uno entre mil,
Para declarar al hombre lo que es bueno para él[j],
24 Y que tenga piedad de él, y diga:
“Líbralo de descender a la fosa(Z),
He hallado su rescate(AA)”;
25 Que su carne se vuelva más tierna que en su juventud,
Que regrese a los días de su vigor juvenil.
26 -»Entonces orará a Dios, y Él lo aceptará(AB),
Para que vea con gozo Su rostro(AC),
Y restaure Su justicia al hombre.
27 -»Cantará él a los hombres y dirá:
“He pecado(AD) y pervertido lo que es justo(AE),
Y no es apropiado para mí.
28 -Ӄl ha redimido mi alma de descender a la fosa,
Y mi vida verá la luz(AF)”.
29 ¶»Dios hace todo esto con frecuencia[k] a los hombres(AG),
30 Para rescatar su alma de la fosa(AH),
Para que sea iluminado con la luz de la vida.
31 -»Pon atención, Job, escúchame;
Guarda silencio y déjame hablar.
32 -»Si algo tienes que decir[l], respóndeme;
Habla, porque deseo justificarte.
33 -»Si no, escúchame;
Pon atención y te enseñaré sabiduría(AI)».
Job 33
King James Version
33 Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words.
2 Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth.
3 My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.
4 The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
5 If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up.
6 Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay.
7 Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.
8 Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,
9 I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.
10 Behold, he findeth occasions against me, he counteth me for his enemy,
11 He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.
12 Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.
13 Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.
14 For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
17 That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.
18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.
19 He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain:
20 So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat.
21 His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out.
22 Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.
23 If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness:
24 Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.
25 His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth:
26 He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.
27 He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;
28 He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.
29 Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,
30 To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I will speak.
32 If thou hast anything to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify thee.
33 If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
Nueva Biblia de las Américas™ NBLA™ Copyright © 2005 por The Lockman Foundation
