Berean Study Bible | International Standard Version |
1“But now, O Job, hear my speech, and listen to all my words. | 1"Now please listen to what I have to say, Job. Listen to every word! |
2Behold, I will open my mouth; my address is on the tip of my tongue. | 2Look! I've begun to speak, and I'm fashioning my words. |
3My words are from an upright heart, and my lips speak sincerely what I know. | 3I speak from the innocence of my heart; and my lips will utter what I sincerely know. |
4The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. | 4"The spirit of God fashioned me; and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. |
5Refute me if you can; prepare your case and confront me. | 5Answer me, if you can! Present your case! Take your stand in my presence! |
6I am just like you before God; I was also formed from clay. | 6Look! As far as God is concerned, I'm just like you are— I, too, have been pinched off from a piece of clay. |
7Surely no fear of me should terrify you; nor will my hand be heavy upon you. | 7Don't be afraid of me; I'll go easy on you." |
8Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard these very words: | 8"You spoke clearly so I could hear; I've heard what you've said: |
9‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, with no iniquity in me. | 9I'm pure. I'm without sin; I'm innocent. I'm harboring no iniquity inside of me. |
10Yet God finds occasions against me; He counts me as His enemy. | 10Nevertheless, God has found a pretext to attack me; he considers me his enemy. |
11He puts my feet in the stocks; He watches over all my paths.’ | 11He has bound my feet in shackles, and keeps watching everything I do.'" |
12Behold, you are not right in this matter. I will answer you, for God is greater than man. | 12"You aren't right about this; My response is that God is greater than human beings. |
13Why do you complain to Him that He answers nothing a man asks? | 13Why are you arguing with him? He doesn't have to give explanations for what he does to you! |
14For God speaks in one way and in another, yet no one notices. | 14"God speaks time and time again — but nobody notices— |
15In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds, | 15in a dream or night vision, when a deep sleep falls on mankind while they sleep on their beds. |
16He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings | 16That's when he opens the ear of mankind, authenticating his messages to them, |
17to turn a man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride, | 17turning a person from his actions, keeping him from pride, |
18to preserve his soul from the Pit and his life from perishing by the sword. | 18sparing his soul from the Pit and his life from violent death. |
19A man is also chastened on his bed with pain and constant distress in his bones, | 19"He is being reproved by painful bed rest, with continual aching in his bones. |
20so that he detests his bread, and his soul loathes his favorite food. | 20He cannot stand his food, and he has no desire for appetizing food. |
21His flesh wastes away from sight, and his hidden bones protrude. | 21His flesh wastes away; his bones, which once couldn't be seen, are visible. |
22He draws near to the Pit, and his life to the messengers of death. | 22His soul is getting close to the Pit; his life is approaching its executioner." |
23Yet if there is a messenger on his side, one mediator in a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him, | 23"If there's a messenger appointed to mediate for Job —one out of a thousand— to represent the man's integrity on his behalf, |
24to be gracious to him and say, ‘Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found his ransom,’ | 24to show favor to him and to plead, 'Deliver him from having to go down to the Pit — I know where his ransom is!' |
25then his flesh is refreshed like a child’s; he returns to the days of his youth. | 25Let his flesh be rejuvenated as he was in his youth! Let him recover the strength of his youth. |
26He prays to God and finds favor; he sees God’s face and shouts for joy, and God restores His righteousness to that man. | 26Let him pray to God and he will accept him; he will appear before him with joyful shouts!" |
27Then he sings before men with these words: ‘I have sinned and perverted what was right; yet I did not get what I deserved. | 27"He'll sing to mankind with these words: 'I've sinned. I have twisted what is right. Yet he has not repaid me like I deserve. |
28He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit, and I will live to see the light.’ | 28He has redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit; my life will see the light.' |
29Behold, all these things God does to a man, two or even three times, | 29Indeed God does all these things again and again with a person |
30to bring back his soul from the Pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life. | 30to bring back his soul from the Pit; to light him with the light of life." |
31Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak. | 31"Job, pay attention! Listen to me! Be silent and let me speak. |
32But if you have something to say, answer me; speak up, for I would like to vindicate you. | 32If you have anything to say, answer me; speak up, because I'd be happy to vindicate you. |
33But if not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.” | 33But if you have nothing to say, then at least listen to me! Be quiet and learn some wisdom from me." |
The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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