33 “But now, Job, listen(A) to my words;
    pay attention to everything I say.(B)
I am about to open my mouth;
    my words are on the tip of my tongue.
My words come from an upright heart;(C)
    my lips sincerely speak what I know.(D)
The Spirit(E) of God has made me;(F)
    the breath of the Almighty(G) gives me life.(H)
Answer me(I) then, if you can;
    stand up(J) and argue your case before me.(K)
I am the same as you in God’s sight;(L)
    I too am a piece of clay.(M)
No fear of me should alarm you,
    nor should my hand be heavy on you.(N)

“But you have said in my hearing—
    I heard the very words—
‘I am pure,(O) I have done no wrong;(P)
    I am clean and free from sin.(Q)
10 Yet God has found fault with me;
    he considers me his enemy.(R)
11 He fastens my feet in shackles;(S)
    he keeps close watch on all my paths.’(T)

12 “But I tell you, in this you are not right,
    for God is greater than any mortal.(U)
13 Why do you complain to him(V)
    that he responds to no one’s words[a]?(W)
14 For God does speak(X)—now one way, now another(Y)
    though no one perceives it.(Z)
15 In a dream,(AA) in a vision(AB) of the night,(AC)
    when deep sleep(AD) falls on people
    as they slumber in their beds,
16 he may speak(AE) in their ears
    and terrify them(AF) with warnings,(AG)
17 to turn them from wrongdoing
    and keep them from pride,(AH)
18 to preserve them from the pit,(AI)
    their lives from perishing by the sword.[b](AJ)

19 “Or someone may be chastened(AK) on a bed of pain(AL)
    with constant distress in their bones,(AM)
20 so that their body finds food(AN) repulsive
    and their soul loathes the choicest meal.(AO)
21 Their flesh wastes away to nothing,
    and their bones,(AP) once hidden, now stick out.(AQ)
22 They draw near to the pit,(AR)
    and their life to the messengers of death.[c](AS)
23 Yet if there is an angel at their side,
    a messenger,(AT) one out of a thousand,
    sent to tell them how to be upright,(AU)
24 and he is gracious to that person and says to God,
    ‘Spare them from going down to the pit;(AV)
    I have found a ransom for them(AW)
25 let their flesh be renewed(AX) like a child’s;
    let them be restored as in the days of their youth’(AY)
26 then that person can pray to God and find favor with him,(AZ)
    they will see God’s face and shout for joy;(BA)
    he will restore them to full well-being.(BB)
27 And they will go to others and say,
    ‘I have sinned,(BC) I have perverted what is right,(BD)
    but I did not get what I deserved.(BE)
28 God has delivered(BF) me from going down to the pit,(BG)
    and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’(BH)

29 “God does all these things to a person(BI)
    twice, even three times(BJ)
30 to turn them back(BK) from the pit,(BL)
    that the light of life(BM) may shine on them.(BN)

31 “Pay attention, Job, and listen(BO) to me;(BP)
    be silent,(BQ) and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me;(BR)
    speak up, for I want to vindicate you.(BS)
33 But if not, then listen to me;(BT)
    be silent,(BU) and I will teach you wisdom.(BV)

Footnotes

  1. Job 33:13 Or that he does not answer for any of his actions
  2. Job 33:18 Or from crossing the river
  3. Job 33:22 Or to the place of the dead

33 Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear my speech,
And hearken to all my words.
Behold now, I have opened my mouth;
My tongue hath spoken in my [a]mouth.
My words shall utter the uprightness of my heart;
And that which my lips know they shall speak sincerely.
The Spirit of God hath made me,
And the breath of the Almighty giveth me life.
If thou canst, answer thou me;
Set thy words in order before me, stand forth.
Behold, [b]I am toward God even as thou art:
I also am formed out of the clay.
Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid,
Neither shall my pressure be heavy upon thee.

Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing,
And I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,
I am clean, without transgression;
I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me:
10 Behold, he findeth [c]occasions against me,
He counteth me for his enemy;
11 He putteth my feet in the stocks,
He marketh all my paths.
12 Behold, [d]I will answer thee, in this thou art not just;
For God is greater than man.

13 Why dost thou strive against him,
For that he giveth not account of any of his matters?
14 For God speaketh [e]once,
Yea twice, though man regardeth 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 [f]openeth the ears of men,
And sealeth their instruction,
17 [g]That he may withdraw man from his purpose,
And hide pride from man;
18 [h]He keepeth back his soul from the pit,
And his life from perishing by the [i]sword.

19 He is chastened also with pain upon his bed,
[j]And with continual strife in his bones;
20 So that his life abhorreth bread,
And his soul dainty food.
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 pit,
And his life to the destroyers.

23 If there be with him [k]an angel,
An interpreter, one [l]among a thousand,
To show unto man [m]what is right for him;
24 [n]Then God 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 returneth to the days of his youth.
26 He prayeth unto God, and he is favorable unto him,
So that he seeth his face with joy:
And he restoreth unto man his righteousness.
27 He [o]singeth before men, and saith,
I have sinned, and perverted that which was right,
And [p]it profited me not:
28 He hath redeemed my soul from going into the pit,
And my life shall behold the light.

29 Lo, all these things doth God work,
Twice, yea thrice, with a man,
30 To bring back his soul from the pit,
That he may be enlightened with the light of [q]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 thou unto me:
Hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom.

Footnotes

  1. Job 33:2 Hebrew palate.
  2. Job 33:6 Or, I am according to thy wish in God’s stead
  3. Job 33:10 Or, causes of alienation
  4. Job 33:12 Or, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee; For etc.
  5. Job 33:14 Or, in one way, yea, in two
  6. Job 33:16 Hebrew uncovereth.
  7. Job 33:17 Or, That man may put away his purpose, And that he may hide
  8. Job 33:18 Or, That he may keep back
  9. Job 33:18 Or, weapons
  10. Job 33:19 Another reading is, While all his bones are firm.
  11. Job 33:23 Or, a messenger
  12. Job 33:23 Or, of the thousand
  13. Job 33:23 Or, his uprightness
  14. Job 33:24 Or, And he be gracious . . . and say . . . ransom: his flesh etc.
  15. Job 33:27 Or, looketh upon men
  16. Job 33:27 Or, it was not requited unto me. Or, it was not meet for me
  17. Job 33:30 Or, life

Gott spricht auf mancherlei Weise

33 »Hiob, hör mir jetzt zu,
gib acht auf das, was ich dir sage!
Meine Rede will ich nun beginnen.
Die Worte liegen mir schon auf der Zunge.
Ich spreche mit aufrichtigem Herzen,
klar und wahr, und sage nur das, was ich weiß.
Gottes Geist hat mich geschaffen,
der Atem des Allmächtigen hat mir das Leben geschenkt.
Antworte mir nur, wenn du kannst,
bereite dich vor und tritt mir entgegen!
Schau: Vor Gott, da sind wir beide gleich,
auch ich bin nur von Lehm genommen so wie du.
Du brauchst keine Angst vor mir zu haben,
ich setze dich nicht unter Druck!

Ich hörte zu, wie du geredet hast –
und ich habe die Worte noch im Ohr:
›Rein bin ich, ohne jede Sünde;
unschuldig bin ich, kein Vergehen lastet auf mir!
10 Doch Gott erfindet immer neue Vorwürfe gegen mich,
er betrachtet mich als seinen Feind!
11 Er legt meine Füße in Ketten,
überwacht mich auf Schritt und Tritt.‹
12 Doch ich muss dir sagen, Hiob,
dass du im Unrecht bist,
denn Gott ist größer als ein Mensch!
13 Warum beschwerst du dich bei ihm,
dass er auf Menschenworte keine Antwort gibt?

14 Gott spricht immer wieder,
auf die eine oder andere Weise,
nur wir Menschen hören nicht darauf!
15 Gott redet durch Träume,
durch Visionen in der Nacht,
wenn tiefer Schlaf auf die Menschen fällt.
Sie liegen da und schlummern,
16 doch dann lässt er sie aufhorchen
und erschreckt sie mit seiner Warnung.
17 Gott will sie abbringen von bösem Tun,
und ihren Hochmut will er ihnen austreiben.
18 Er will sie vor dem Tod bewahren,
davor, dass sie in ihr eigenes Verderben rennen.

19 Gott weist einen Menschen auch durch Schmerzen zurecht,
wenn er daliegt in seinen Qualen
20 und sich vor jeder Speise ekelt,
selbst vor seinem Lieblingsgericht.
21 Seine Gestalt verfällt zusehends,
man kann alle seine Knochen zählen.
22 Er steht schon mit einem Fuß im Grab,
bald holen ihn die Todesboten.
23 Doch wenn ein Engel sich für ihn einsetzt,
einer von den Tausenden,
die den Menschen sagen, was richtig für sie ist,
24 wenn dieser Engel Mitleid mit ihm hat
und zu Gott sagt: ›Verschone ihn!
Lass ihn nicht sterben! Hier ist das Lösegeld!‹,
25 dann blüht er wieder auf,
wird gesund und frisch,
er wird stark wie damals in seiner Jugend.
26 Dann betet er zu Gott,
und sein Gebet wird gnädig angenommen.
Mit lautem Jubel tritt er vor ihn hin
und dankt dafür, dass Gott ihn wieder von seiner Schuld freispricht.
27 Offen bekennt er den Menschen:
›Ich hatte gesündigt und das Recht missachtet,
doch Gott hat mir’s nicht angerechnet!
28 Er hat mich vor dem sicheren Tod bewahrt,
nun darf ich weiterleben und sehe das Licht.‹

29 Das alles tut Gott mehr als nur einmal im Leben eines Menschen,
30 um ihn vor dem Tod zu bewahren
und ihm das Licht des Lebens zu erhalten.

31 Hör mir zu, Hiob,
sei still und lass mich reden!
32 Wenn du jetzt noch etwas zu sagen hast,
dann antworte mir!
Rede nur, denn ich würde dir gerne recht geben.
33 Wenn du aber nichts mehr zu sagen weißt,
dann schweig und hör mir zu,
ich will dir zeigen, was Weisheit ist.«

Elihu Contradicts Job

33 “But please, Job, hear my speech,
And listen to all my words.
Now, I open my mouth;
My tongue speaks in my mouth.
My words come from my upright heart;
My lips utter pure knowledge.
(A)The Spirit of God has made me,
And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
If you can answer me,
Set your words in order before me;
Take your stand.
(B)Truly I am [a]as your spokesman before God;
I also have been formed out of clay.
(C)Surely no fear of me will terrify you,
Nor will my hand be heavy on you.

“Surely you have spoken [b]in my hearing,
And I have heard the sound of your words, saying,
‘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.

31 “Give ear, Job, listen to me;
Hold your peace, and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me;
Speak, for I desire to justify you.
33 If not, (R)listen to me;
[g]Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 33:6 Lit. as your mouth
  2. Job 33:8 Lit. in my ears
  3. Job 33:18 Lit. passing
  4. Job 33:20 desirable
  5. Job 33:24 an atonement
  6. Job 33:28 Kt. my
  7. Job 33:33 Keep silent