Job 33
New Century Version
33 “Now, Job, listen to my words.
Pay attention to everything I say.
2 I open my mouth
and am ready to speak.
3 My words come from an honest heart,
and I am sincere in saying what I know.
4 The Spirit of God created me,
and the breath of the Almighty gave me life.
5 Answer me if you can;
get yourself ready and stand before me.
6 I am just like you before God;
I too am made out of clay.
7 Don’t be afraid of me;
I will not be hard on you.
8 “But I heard what you have said;
I heard every word.
9 You said, ‘I am pure and without sin;
I am innocent and free from guilt.
10 But God has found fault with me;
he considers me his enemy.
11 He locks my feet in chains
and closely watches everywhere I go.’
12 “But I tell you, you are not right in saying this,
because God is greater than we are.
13 Why do you accuse God
of not answering anyone?
14 God does speak—sometimes one way and sometimes another—
even though people may not understand it.
15 He speaks in a dream or a vision of the night
when people are in a deep sleep,
lying on their beds.
16 He speaks in their ears
and frightens them with warnings
17 to turn them away from doing wrong
and to keep them from being proud.
18 God does this to save people from death,
to keep them from dying.
19 People may be corrected while in bed in great pain;
they may have continual pain in their very bones.
20 They may be in such pain that they even hate food,
even the very best meal.
21 Their body becomes so thin there is almost nothing left of it,
and their bones that were hidden now stick out.
22 They are near death,
and their life is almost over.
23 “But there may be an angel to speak for him,
one out of a thousand, who will tell him what to do.
24 The angel will beg for mercy and say:
‘Save him from death.
I have found a way to pay for his life.’
25 Then his body is made new like a child’s.
It will return to the way it was when he was young.
26 That person will pray to God, and God will listen to him.
He will see God’s face and will shout with happiness.
And God will set things right for him again.
27 Then he will say to others,
‘I sinned and twisted what was right,
but I did not receive the punishment I should have received.
28 God bought my life back from death,
and I will continue to enjoy life.’
29 “God does all these things to a person
two or even three times
30 so he won’t die as punishment for his sins
and so he may still enjoy life.
31 “Job, pay attention and listen to me;
be quiet, and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me;
speak up, because I want to prove you right.
33 But if you have nothing to say, then listen to me;
be quiet, 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, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible