New King James Version

English Standard Version

1“But please, Job, hear my speech, And listen to all my words.

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

2Now, I open my mouth; My tongue speaks in my mouth.

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

3My words come from my upright heart; My lips utter pure knowledge.

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

4The 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.

5If you can answer me, Set your words in order before me; Take your stand.

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

6Truly I am as your spokesman before God; I also have been formed out of clay.

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

7Surely no fear of me will terrify you, Nor will my hand be heavy 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, saying,

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 iniquity in me.

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

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

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

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

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

12“Look, in this you are not righteous. I will answer you, For God is greater than man.

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

13Why do you contend with Him? For He does not give an accounting of any of His words.

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

14For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it.

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

15In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on 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,

17In order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man,

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 perishing by the sword.

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 strong pain in many of his bones,

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

20So that his life abhors bread, And his soul succulent food.

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

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

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

22Yes, his soul draws near the Pit, And his life to the executioners.

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

23“If there is a messenger for him, A mediator, one among a thousand, To show man His uprightness,

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

24Then He is gracious to him, and says, ‘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;

25His flesh shall be young like a child’s, He shall return to the days of his youth.

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

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.

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.

27Then he looks at men and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted what was right, And it did not profit me.’

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

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 into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light.’

29“Behold, God works all these things, Twice, in fact, three times with a man,

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“Give ear, Job, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will speak.

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

32If 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.

33If not, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.”

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

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

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.