New American Standard Bible 1995

English Standard Version

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

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

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

2Behold, I open my mouth; the tongue in my mouth speaks.

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

3My words declare the uprightness of my heart, and what my lips know they speak sincerely.

4"The 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.

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

5Answer me, if you can; set your words in order before me; take your stand.

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

6Behold, I am toward God as you are; I too was pinched off from a piece of clay.

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

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 guilt in me.

9You say, ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.

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

10Behold, he finds occasions against me, he counts me as his enemy,

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

11he puts my feet in the stocks and watches all my paths.’

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

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

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

13Why do you contend against him, saying, ‘He will answer none of man’s words’?

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

14For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it.

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

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

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 passing over into Sheol.

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 unceasing complaint in his bones;

19“Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed and with continual strife in his bones,

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

20so that his life loathes bread, and his appetite the choicest food.

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

21His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out.

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

22His soul draws near the pit, and his life to those who bring death.

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

23If there be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand, to declare to man what is right for him,

24Then let him be gracious to him, and say, '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;

25Let his flesh become fresher than in youth, Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor;

25let his flesh become fresh with youth; let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’;

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.

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.

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

27He sings before men and says: ‘I sinned and perverted what was right, and it was not repaid to me.

28'He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit, And my 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 does all these oftentimes with men,

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

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

32"Then if 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.

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

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

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

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.