Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear my speech, And hearken to all my words.
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Behold now, I have opened my mouth, My tongue hath spoken in my mouth.
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My words shall utter the uprightness of my heart; And that which my lips know they shall speak sincerely.
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The spirit of God hath made me, And the breath of the Almighty given me life.
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If thou canst, answer thou me, Set thy words in order before me, stand forth.
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Behold, I am toward God even as thou art; I also am formed out of the clay.
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Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, Neither shall my pressure be heavy upon thee.
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Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the voice of thy words;
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’I am clean, without transgression, I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me;
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Behold, He findeth occasions against me, He counteth me for His enemy;
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He putteth my feet in the stocks, He marketh all my paths.’ .
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Behold, I answer thee: In this thou art not right, That God is too great for man;
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Why hast thou striven against Him? Seeing that He will not answer any of his words.
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For God speaketh in one way, Yea in two, though man perceiveth it not.
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In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falleth upon men, In slumberings upon the bed;
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Then He openeth the ears of men, And by their chastisement sealeth the decree,
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That men may put away their purpose, And that He may hide pride from man;
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That He may keep back his soul from the pit, And his life from perishing by the sword.
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He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, And all his bones grow stiff;
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So that his life maketh him to abhor bread, And his soul dainty food.
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His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; And his bones corrode to unsightliness.
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Yea, his soul draweth near unto the pit, And his life to the destroyers.
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If there be for him an angel, An intercessor, one among a thousand, To vouch for a man’s uprightness;
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Then He is gracious unto him, and saith: ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.’
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His flesh is tenderer than a child’s; He returneth to the days of his youth;
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He prayeth unto God, and He is favourable unto him; So that he seeth His face with joy; And He restoreth unto man his righteousness.
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He cometh before men, and saith: ‘I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, And it profited me not.’
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So He redeemeth his soul from going into the pit, And his life beholdeth the light.
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Lo, all these things doth God work, Twice, yea thrice, with a man,
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To bring back his soul from the pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
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Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me; Hold thy peace, and I will speak.
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If thou hast any thing to say, answer me; Speak, for I desire to justify thee.
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If not, hearken thou unto me; Hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom.
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