Elihu Rebukes Job
“But now, hear my speech, O Job,
and listen to all my words.
2 Behold, I aopen 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 aThe Spirit of God has made me,
and bthe breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 aAnswer me, if you can;
bset 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 aclay.
7 Behold, no afear of me need terrify you;
my bpressure 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 apure, without btransgression;
I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Behold, he finds occasions against me,
he acounts me as his enemy,
11 he aputs my feet in the stocks
and bwatches 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 acontend against him,
saying, ‘He bwill answer none of man’s words’?
14 For God aspeaks in one way,
band in two, though man cdoes not perceive it.
15 In aa dream, in ba vision of cthe night,
when bdeep sleep falls on men,
while they slumber on their beds,
16 then he aopens the ears of men
and terrifies them with warnings,
17 that he may turn man aside from his adeed
and conceal pride from a man;
18 he keeps back his soul from the pit,
his life from aperishing by the sword.
19 “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed
and with continual strife in his abones,
20 so that his alife loathes bread,
and his appetite bthe choicest food.
21 His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,
and his bones that were not seen astick out.
22 His soul draws near athe pit,
and his life to bthose who bring death.
23 If there be for him aan angel,
ba mediator, cone of the thousand,
to declare to man what is dright for him,
24 and he is merciful to him, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down into the pit;
I have found aa ransom;
25 let his flesh abecome fresh with youth;
let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’;
26 then man aprays to God, and he accepts him;
he bsees his face with a shout of joy,
and he crestores to man his righteousness.
27 He sings before men and says:
‘I asinned and perverted what was right,
and it was not repaid to me.
28 He has redeemed my asoul from going down binto the pit,
and my life shall clook 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 athe light of life.
31 Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
32 If you have any words, aanswer me;
bspeak, for I desire to justify you.
33 If not, alisten to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”