New King James Version | International Standard Version |
1“But please, 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! |
2Now, I open my mouth; My tongue speaks in my mouth. | 2Look! I've begun to speak, and I'm fashioning my words. |
3My words come from my upright heart; My lips utter pure knowledge. | 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. |
5If you can answer me, Set your words in order before me; Take your stand. | 5Answer me, if you can! Present your case! Take your stand in my presence! |
6Truly I am as your spokesman before God; I also have been formed out of 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 will terrify you, Nor will my hand be heavy on you. | 7Don't be afraid of me; I'll go easy on you." |
8“Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words, saying, | 8"You spoke clearly so I could hear; I've heard what you've said: |
9‘I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me. | 9I'm pure. I'm without sin; I'm innocent. I'm harboring no iniquity inside of me. |
10Yet He 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 all my paths.’ | 11He has bound my feet in shackles, and keeps watching everything I do.'" |
12“Look, in this you are not righteous. 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 contend with Him? For He does not give an accounting of any of His words. | 13Why are you arguing with him? He doesn't have to give explanations for what he does to you! |
14For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it. | 14"God speaks time and time again — but nobody notices— |
15In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds, | 15in a dream or night vision, when a deep sleep falls on mankind while they sleep on their beds. |
16Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction. | 16That's when he opens the ear of mankind, authenticating his messages to them, |
17In order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man, | 17turning a person from his actions, keeping him from pride, |
18He keeps back 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. |
19“Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, And with strong pain in many of his bones, | 19"He is being reproved by painful bed rest, with continual aching in his bones. |
20So that his life abhors bread, And his soul succulent food. | 20He cannot stand his food, and he has no desire for appetizing food. |
21His flesh wastes away from sight, And his bones stick out which once were not seen. | 21His flesh wastes away; his bones, which once couldn't be seen, are visible. |
22Yes, his soul draws near the Pit, And his life to the executioners. | 22His soul is getting close to the Pit; his life is approaching its executioner." |
23“If there is a messenger for him, A mediator, one among a thousand, To show man His uprightness, | 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, |
24Then He is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a 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!' |
25His flesh shall be young like a child’s, He shall return 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 shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, For He restores to man His righteousness. | 26Let him pray to God and he will accept him; he will appear before him with joyful shouts!" |
27Then he looks at men and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted what was right, And it did not profit me.’ | 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 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 to the Pit; my life will see the light.' |
29“Behold, God works all these things, Twice, in fact, three times with a man, | 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." |
31“Give ear, Job, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will speak. | 31"Job, pay attention! Listen to me! Be silent and let me speak. |
32If you have anything to say, answer me; Speak, for I desire to justify you. | 32If you have anything to say, answer me; speak up, because I'd be happy to vindicate you. |
33If not, listen to me; Hold your peace, 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 Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. 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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