Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
1“But now, O Job, hear my speech, and listen to all my words. | 1"But now, O Job, listen to my words, and hear everything I have to say! |
2Behold, I will open my mouth; my address is on the tip of my tongue. | 2See now, I have opened my mouth; my tongue in my mouth has spoken. |
3My words are from an upright heart, and my lips speak sincerely what I know. | 3My words come from the uprightness of my heart, and my lips will utter knowledge sincerely. |
4The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. | 4The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. |
5Refute me if you can; prepare your case and confront me. | 5Reply to me, if you can; set your arguments in order before me and take your stand! |
6I am just like you before God; I was also formed from clay. | 6Look, I am just like you in relation to God; I too have been molded from clay. |
7Surely no fear of me should terrify you; nor will my hand be heavy upon you. | 7Therefore no fear of me should terrify you, nor should my pressure be heavy on you. |
8Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard these very words: | 8"Indeed, you have said in my hearing (I heard the sound of the words!): |
9‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, with no iniquity in me. | 9I am pure, without transgression; I am clean and have no iniquity. |
10Yet God finds occasions against me; He counts me as His enemy. | 10Yet God finds occasions with me; he regards me as his enemy! |
11He puts my feet in the stocks; He watches over all my paths.’ | 11He puts my feet in shackles; he watches closely all my paths.' |
12Behold, you are not right in this matter. I will answer you, for God is greater than man. | 12Now in this, you are not right--I answer you, for God is greater than a human being. |
13Why do you complain to Him that He answers nothing a man asks? | 13Why do you contend against him, that he does not answer all a person's words? |
14For God speaks in one way and in another, yet no one notices. | 14"For God speaks, the first time in one way, the second time in another, though a person does not perceive it. |
15In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds, | 15In a dream, a night vision, when deep sleep falls on people as they sleep in their beds. |
16He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings | 16Then he gives a revelation to people, and terrifies them with warnings, |
17to turn a man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride, | 17to turn a person from his sin, and to cover a person's pride. |
18to preserve his soul from the Pit and his life from perishing by the sword. | 18He spares a person's life from corruption, his very life from crossing over the river. |
19A man is also chastened on his bed with pain and constant distress in his bones, | 19Or a person is chastened by pain on his bed, and with the continual strife of his bones, |
20so that he detests his bread, and his soul loathes his favorite food. | 20so that his life loathes food, and his soul rejects appetizing fare. |
21His flesh wastes away from sight, and his hidden bones protrude. | 21His flesh wastes away from sight, and his bones, which were not seen, are easily visible. |
22He draws near to the Pit, and his life to the messengers of death. | 22He draws near to the place of corruption, and his life to the messengers of death. |
23Yet if there is a messenger on his side, one mediator in a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him, | 23If there is an angel beside him, one mediator out of a thousand, to tell a person what constitutes his uprightness; |
24to be gracious to him and say, ‘Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found his ransom,’ | 24and if God is gracious to him and says, 'Spare him from going down to the place of corruption, I have found a ransom for him,' |
25then his flesh is refreshed like a child’s; he returns to the days of his youth. | 25then his flesh is restored like a youth's; he returns to the days of his youthful vigor. |
26He prays to God and finds favor; he sees God’s face and shouts for joy, and God restores His righteousness to that man. | 26He entreats God, and God delights in him, he sees God's face with rejoicing, and God restores to him his righteousness. |
27Then he sings before men with these words: ‘I have sinned and perverted what was right; yet I did not get what I deserved. | 27That person sings to others, saying: 'I have sinned and falsified what is right, but I was not punished according to what I deserved. |
28He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit, and I will live to see the light.’ | 28He redeemed my life from going down to the place of corruption, and my life sees the light!' |
29Behold, all these things God does to a man, two or even three times, | 29"Indeed, God does all these things, twice, three times, in his dealings with a person, |
30to bring back his soul from the Pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of life. | 30to turn back his life from the place of corruption, that he may be enlightened with the light of life. |
31Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak. | 31Pay attention, Job--listen to me; be silent, and I will speak. |
32But if you have something to say, answer me; speak up, for I would like to vindicate you. | 32If you have any words, reply to me; speak, for I want to justify you. |
33But if not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.” | 33If not, you listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom." |
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