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.
Job 33
New King James Version
Elihu Contradicts Job
33 “But please, Job, hear my speech,
And listen to all my words.
2 Now, I open my mouth;
My tongue speaks in my mouth.
3 My words come from my upright heart;
My lips utter pure knowledge.
4 (A)The Spirit of God has made me,
And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 If you can answer me,
Set your words in order before me;
Take your stand.
6 (B)Truly I am [a]as your spokesman before God;
I also have been formed out of clay.
7 (C)Surely no fear of me will terrify you,
Nor will my hand be heavy on you.
8 “Surely you have spoken [b]in my hearing,
And I have heard the sound of your words, saying,
9 ‘I(D) am pure, without transgression;
I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Yet He finds occasions against me,
(E)He counts me as His enemy;
11 (F)He puts my feet in the stocks,
He watches all my paths.’
12 “Look, in this you are not righteous.
I will answer you,
For God is greater than man.
13 Why do you (G)contend with Him?
For He does not give an accounting of any of His words.
14 (H)For God may speak in one way, or in another,
Yet man does not perceive it.
15 (I)In a dream, in a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falls upon men,
While slumbering on their beds,
16 (J)Then He opens the ears of men,
And seals their instruction.
17 In order to turn man from his deed,
And conceal pride from man,
18 He keeps back his soul from the Pit,
And his life from [c]perishing by the sword.
19 “Man is also chastened with pain on his (K)bed,
And with strong pain in many of his bones,
20 (L)So that his life abhors (M)bread,
And his soul [d]succulent food.
21 His flesh wastes away from sight,
And his bones stick out which once were not seen.
22 Yes, his soul draws near the Pit,
And his life to the executioners.
23 “If there is a messenger for him,
A mediator, one among a thousand,
To show man His uprightness,
24 Then He is gracious to him, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit;
I have found [e]a ransom’;
25 His flesh shall be young like a child’s,
He shall return to the days of his youth.
26 He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him,
He shall see His face with joy,
For He restores to man His righteousness.
27 Then he looks at men and (N)says,
‘I have sinned, and perverted what was right,
And it (O)did not profit me.’
28 He will (P)redeem [f]his soul from going down to the Pit,
And his life shall see the light.
29 “Behold, God works all these things,
Twice, in fact, three times with a man,
30 (Q)To bring back his soul from the Pit,
That he may be enlightened with the light of life.
Job 33
Tree of Life Version
33 “But now, Job, listen to my words
and give ear to everything I say.
2 See now, I open my mouth;
my tongue in my mouth speaks.
3 My words are from my upright heart;
my lips speak sincerely what they know.
4 “The Ruach of God has made me;
the breath of Shaddai gives me life.
5 Answer me, if you can;
array yourselves before me;
take your stand!
6 Look, I am the same as you before God;
I too am formed from clay.
7 See, no fear of me should terrify you,
nor should my pressure be heavy on you.
8 “Indeed, you have said in my hearing,
—I heard the sound of the words:
9 ‘I am pure, without transgression;
I am innocent, without iniquity.
10 Yet, He has found fault with me;
He considers me His enemy.
11 He puts my feet in the shackles;
He watches closely all my paths.’
12 “But in this, you are not right—
I answer you, for God is greater than a mortal.
13 Why do you contend against Him
that He does not answer all His words.
14 Indeed, God speaks once, even twice,
yet no one perceives it.
15 “In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on men, as they slumber in bed,
16 Then He opens the ears of men
and seals their instruction,
17 in order to turn a man from his conduct
and to cover a person’s pride.
18 He spares his soul from the Pit
and his life from perishing by the sword.
19 Or a person is chastened with pain on his bed,
with continual strife in his bones,
20 so that his life loathes bread,
and his soul, desirable food.
21 His flesh wastes away from sight,
and his bones, once unseen, now stick out.
22 His soul draws near to the Pit
and his life to the messengers of death.
23 “If there is an angel beside him, a messenger, one out of a thousand,
to declare to a man his uprightness,
24 then He is gracious to him, and says
‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit—
I have found a ransom;’
25 let his flesh be restored like a child’s;
let him return to the days of his youth.’
26 He entreats God and is accepted by Him;
he sees His face with a shout of joy;
He restores to the man his righteousness.
27 He sings to others, saying,
‘I have sinned and perverted what is right,
but I did not get what I deserved.
28 He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit,
and my life sees the light.’
29 “Indeed, God does all these things,
twice, even three times with a man,
30 to bring his soul back from the Pit,
that he may be illuminated with the light of life.
31 Pay attention, Job, listen to me;
Be silent, and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me.
Speak, for I want to justify you.
33 If not, then listen to me.
Be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.