Berean Study Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1“But now, O Job, hear my speech, and listen to all my words.

1"However now, Job, please hear my speech, And listen to all my words.

2Behold, I will open my mouth; my address is on the tip of my tongue.

2"Behold now, I open my mouth, My tongue in my mouth speaks.

3My words are from an upright heart, and my lips speak sincerely what I know.

3"My words are from the uprightness of my heart, And my lips speak knowledge sincerely.

4The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

4"The 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.

5"Refute me if you can; Array yourselves before me, take your stand.

6I am just like you before God; I was also formed from clay.

6"Behold, I belong to God like you; I too have been formed out of the clay.

7Surely no fear of me should terrify you; nor will my hand be heavy upon you.

7"Behold, no fear of me should terrify you, Nor should my pressure weigh heavily on you.

8Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard these very words:

8"Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words:

9‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, with no iniquity in me.

9'I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent and there is no guilt in me.

10Yet God finds occasions against me; He counts me as His enemy.

10'Behold, He invents pretexts against me; He counts me as His enemy.

11He puts my feet in the stocks; He watches over all my paths.’

11'He puts my feet in the stocks; He watches all my paths.'

12Behold, you are not right in this matter. I will answer you, for God is greater than man.

12"Behold, let me tell you, you are not right in this, For God is greater than man.

13Why do you complain to Him that He answers nothing a man asks?

13"Why do you complain against Him That He does not give an account of all His doings?

14For God speaks in one way and in another, yet no one notices.

14"Indeed God speaks once, Or twice, yet no one notices it.

15In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds,

15"In a dream, a vision of the night, When sound sleep falls on men, While they slumber in their beds,

16He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings

16Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction,

17to turn a man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride,

17That He may turn man aside from his conduct, And keep man from pride;

18to preserve his soul from the Pit and his life from perishing by the sword.

18He keeps back his soul from the pit, And his life from passing over into Sheol.

19A man is also chastened on his bed with pain and constant distress in his bones,

19"Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, And with unceasing complaint in his bones;

20so that he detests his bread, and his soul loathes his favorite food.

20So that his life loathes bread, And his soul favorite food.

21His flesh wastes away from sight, and his hidden bones protrude.

21"His flesh wastes away from sight, And his bones which were not seen stick out.

22He draws near to the Pit, and his life to the messengers of death.

22"Then his soul draws near to the pit, And his life to those who bring death.

23Yet if there is a messenger on his side, one mediator in a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him,

23"If there is an angel as mediator for him, One out of a thousand, To remind a man what is right for him,

24to be gracious to him and say, ‘Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found his ransom,’

24Then let him be gracious to him, and say, 'Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom';

25then his flesh is refreshed like a child’s; he returns to the days of his youth.

25Let his flesh become fresher than in youth, Let him return 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.

26Then he will pray to God, and He will accept him, That he may see His face with joy, And He may restore His righteousness to man.

27Then he sings before men with these words: ‘I have sinned and perverted what was right; yet I did not get what I deserved.

27"He will sing to men and say, 'I have sinned and perverted what is right, And it is not proper for me.

28He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit, and I will live to see the light.’

28'He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit, And my life shall see the light.'

29Behold, all these things God does to a man, two or even three times,

29"Behold, God does all these oftentimes with men,

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 enlightened with the light of life.

31Pay attention, Job, and listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.

31"Pay attention, O Job, listen to me; Keep silent, and let me speak.

32But if you have something to say, answer me; speak up, for I would like to vindicate you.

32"Then if you have anything to say, answer me; Speak, for I desire to justify you.

33But if not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.”

33"If not, listen to me; Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom."

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New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org