1“And yet, O Iyoḇ, please hear my speech and listen to all my words.

2See, please! I shall open my mouth, my tongue shall speak in my mouth.

3My words are from the uprightness of my heart, my lips shall speak knowledge clearly.

4The Spirit of Ěl has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

5If you are able, answer me, set yourself in order before me, take your stand.

6See, I am like you before Ěl, I too have been formed out of clay.

7See, no fear of me should alarm you, nor should pressure by me be heavy on you.

8But you have spoken in my hearing, and the sound of words I hear, saying,

9‘I am clear, without transgression; I am innocent, and I have no crookedness.

10See, He finds occasions against me, He counts me as His enemy;

11He puts my feet in the stocks, He watches all my paths.’

12See, in this you have not been righteous. Let me answer you: Eloah is greater than man!

13Why have you complained against Him? Because He does not answer all His matters?

14For Ěl does speak once, or twice – though one does not notice it –

15in a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, while slumbering on a bed,

16then He opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction,

17to turn man from his deed, and conceal pride from man.

18He keeps back his being from the Pit, and his life from passing away by the sword.

19And he is reproved with pain on his bed, and with unceasing distress in his bones,

20so that his life loathes bread, and his being desirable food.

21His flesh wastes away, and his bones which were not seen stick out.

22And his being draws near the Pit, and his life to the destroyers.

23If there is a messenger for him, a mediator, one among a thousand, to show man His straightness,

24then He shows favour to him, and says, ‘Release him from going down to the Pit, I have found an atonement.

25‘Let his flesh become fresher than a child’s, let him return to the days of his youth.’

26He prays to Eloah, and He accepts him. And he sees His face with joy, and He restores to man his righteousness.

27He sings to men and says, ‘I have sinned, and I have perverted what was right, and it did not profit me.’

28He has redeemed my being from going down to the Pit, and my life sees the light.

29See, Ěl does all these – twice, three times with a man,

30to bring back his being from the Pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.

31Pay attention, Iyoḇ, listen to me, keep silent, and let me speak.

32If there are words, answer me; speak, for I desire to declare you right.

33If not, listen to me, keep silent, and let me teach you wisdom.”