﻿Job.
Chapter 33.
But now, Job, please hear my words; listen to all I say. 
Look, I have opened my mouth; my tongue speaks in my mouth. 
My words express the uprightness of my heart; my lips speak knowledge sincerely. 
The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. 
If you can, answer me; set out your case before me and take your stand. 
Look, I am like you before God; I too was pinched from clay. 
Look, dread of me will not terrify you, nor will my pressure weigh heavily on you. 
Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the sound of your words: 
‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me. 
Look, he finds pretexts against me; he counts me as his enemy. 
He puts my feet in the stocks and watches all my paths.’ 
Look, in this you are not right. I will answer you, for God is greater than a mortal. 
Why do you contend with him because he gives no account of any of his matters? 
For God speaks once, and twice, though man does not perceive it. 
In a dream, a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men as they slumber on their beds, 
then he opens men's ears and seals their instruction, 
to turn man from his course and keep pride from him. 
He holds back his soul from the pit and his life from passing away by the sword. 
He is also corrected with pain on his bed and with unceasing strife in his bones. 
His life loathes bread, and his soul desirable food. 
His flesh wastes away from sight, and his bones, once unseen, are laid bare. 
His soul draws near the pit, and his life to those who bring death. 
If there is a messenger beside him, a mediator, one among a thousand, to show man what is right for him, 
and he is gracious to him and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom,’ 
his flesh will be fresher than in youth; he will return to the days of his youthful vigor. 
He will pray to God, and God will accept him; he will see his face with a shout of joy, and God will restore to man his righteousness. 
He looks at men and says, ‘I have sinned and perverted what is right, yet it was not repaid to me. 
He has redeemed my soul from passing into the pit, and my life will see the light.’ 
Look, God does all these things twice, three times with a man, 
to bring his soul back from the pit, to be lighted with the light of the living. 
Pay attention, Job; listen to me. Be silent, and I will speak. 
If you have words, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify you. 
If not, listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.” 
