Elihu Rebukes Job

33 “But now, hear my speech, O Job,

and listen to all my words.

2  Behold, I jopen my mouth;

the tongue in my mouth speaks.

3  My words declare the uprightness of my heart,

and what my lips know they speak sincerely.

4  kThe Spirit of God has made me,

and lthe breath of the Almighty gives me life.

5  mAnswer me, if you can;

nset your words in order before me; take your stand.

6  Behold, I am toward God as you are;

I too was pinched off from a piece of oclay.

7  Behold, no pfear of me need terrify you;

my qpressure will not be heavy upon you.

8  “Surely you have spoken in my ears,

and I have heard the sound of your words.

9  You say, ‘I am rpure, without stransgression;

I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.

10  Behold, he finds occasions against me,

he tcounts me as his enemy,

11  he uputs my feet in the stocks

and vwatches all my paths.’

12  “Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you,

for God is greater than man.

13  Why do you wcontend against him,

saying, ‘He xwill answer none of man’s1 words’?2

14  For God yspeaks in one way,

zand in two, though man adoes not perceive it.

15  In ba dream, in ca vision of dthe night,

when cdeep sleep falls on men,

while they slumber on their beds,

16  then he eopens the ears of men

and terrifies3 them with warnings,

17  that he may turn man aside from his fdeed

and conceal pride from a man;

18  he keeps back his soul from the pit,

his life from gperishing by the sword.

19  “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed

and with continual strife in his hbones,

20  so that his ilife loathes bread,

and his appetite jthe choicest food.

21  His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,

and his bones that were not seen kstick out.

22  His soul draws near lthe pit,

and his life to mthose who bring death.

23  If there be for him nan angel,

oa mediator, pone of the thousand,

to declare to man what is qright for him,

24  and he is merciful to him, and says,

‘Deliver him from going down into the pit;

I have found ra ransom;

25  let his flesh sbecome fresh with youth;

let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’;

26  then man4 tprays to God, and he accepts him;

he usees his face with a shout of joy,

and he vrestores to man his righteousness.

27  He sings before men and says:

‘I wsinned and perverted what was right,

and it was not repaid to me.

28  He has redeemed my xsoul from going down yinto the pit,

and my life shall zlook upon the light.’

29  “Behold, God does all these things,

twice, athree times, with a man,

30  to bring back his soul from the pit,

that he may be lighted with bthe light of life.

31  Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;

be silent, and I will speak.

32  If you have any words, canswer me;

dspeak, for I desire to justify you.

33  If not, elisten to me;

be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”