New King James Version | English Standard Version |
1“But please, Job, hear my speech, And listen to all my words. | 1“But now, hear my speech, O Job, and listen to all my words. |
2Now, I open my mouth; My tongue speaks in my mouth. | 2Behold, I open my mouth; the tongue in my mouth speaks. |
3My words come from my upright heart; My lips utter pure knowledge. | 3My words declare the uprightness of my heart, and what my lips know they speak 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. |
5If you can answer me, Set your words in order before me; Take your stand. | 5Answer me, if you can; set your words in order before me; take your stand. |
6Truly I am as your spokesman before God; I also have been formed out of clay. | 6Behold, I am toward God as you are; I too was pinched off from a piece of clay. |
7Surely no fear of me will terrify you, Nor will my hand be heavy on you. | 7Behold, no fear of me need terrify you; my pressure will not be heavy upon you. |
8“Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words, saying, | 8“Surely you have spoken in my ears, and I have heard the sound of your words. |
9‘I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me. | 9You say, ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me. |
10Yet He finds occasions against me, He counts me as His enemy; | 10Behold, he finds occasions against me, he counts me as his enemy, |
11He puts my feet in the stocks, He watches all my paths.’ | 11he puts my feet in the stocks and watches all my paths.’ |
12“Look, in this you are not righteous. I will answer you, For God is greater than man. | 12“Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you, for God is greater than man. |
13Why do you contend with Him? For He does not give an accounting of any of His words. | 13Why do you contend against him, saying, ‘He will answer none of man’s words’? |
14For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it. | 14For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it. |
15In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds, | 15In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds, |
16Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction. | 16then he opens the ears of men and terrifies them with warnings, |
17In order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man, | 17that he may turn man aside from his deed and conceal pride from a man; |
18He keeps back his soul from the Pit, And his life from perishing by the sword. | 18he keeps back his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword. |
19“Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, And with strong pain in many of his bones, | 19“Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed and with continual strife in his bones, |
20So that his life abhors bread, And his soul succulent food. | 20so that his life loathes bread, and his appetite the choicest food. |
21His flesh wastes away from sight, And his bones stick out which once were not seen. | 21His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out. |
22Yes, his soul draws near the Pit, And his life to the executioners. | 22His soul draws near the pit, and his life to those who bring death. |
23“If there is a messenger for him, A mediator, one among a thousand, To show man His uprightness, | 23If there be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand, to declare to man what is right for him, |
24Then He is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom’; | 24and he is merciful to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down into the pit; I have found a ransom; |
25His flesh shall be young like a child’s, He shall return to the days of his youth. | 25let his flesh become fresh with youth; let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’; |
26He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, For He restores to man His righteousness. | 26then man prays to God, and he accepts him; he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he restores to man his righteousness. |
27Then he looks at men and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted what was right, And it did not profit me.’ | 27He sings before men and says: ‘I sinned and perverted what was right, and it was not repaid to me. |
28He will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit, And his life shall see the light. | 28He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light.’ |
29“Behold, God works all these things, Twice, in fact, three times with a man, | 29“Behold, God does all these things, twice, three times, with a man, |
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, that he may be lighted with the light of life. |
31“Give ear, Job, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will speak. | 31Pay attention, O Job, listen to me; be silent, and I will speak. |
32If you have anything to say, answer me; Speak, for I desire to justify you. | 32If you have any words, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify you. |
33If not, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.” | 33If not, listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.” |
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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