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.

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.