New Living Translation | International Standard Version |
1“Listen to my words, Job; pay attention to what I have to say. | 1"Now please listen to what I have to say, Job. Listen to every word! |
2Now that I have begun to speak, let me continue. | 2Look! I've begun to speak, and I'm fashioning my words. |
3I speak with all sincerity; I speak the truth. | 3I speak from the innocence of my heart; and my lips will utter what I sincerely know. |
4For the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. | 4"The spirit of God fashioned me; and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. |
5Answer me, if you can; make your case and take your stand. | 5Answer me, if you can! Present your case! Take your stand in my presence! |
6Look, you and I both belong to God. I, too, was formed from clay. | 6Look! As far as God is concerned, I'm just like you are— I, too, have been pinched off from a piece of clay. |
7So you don’t need to be afraid of me. I won’t come down hard on you. | 7Don't be afraid of me; I'll go easy on you." |
8“You have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard your very words. | 8"You spoke clearly so I could hear; I've heard what you've said: |
9You said, ‘I am pure; I am without sin; I am innocent; I have no guilt. | 9I'm pure. I'm without sin; I'm innocent. I'm harboring no iniquity inside of me. |
10God is picking a quarrel with me, and he considers me his enemy. | 10Nevertheless, God has found a pretext to attack me; he considers me his enemy. |
11He puts my feet in the stocks and watches my every move.’ | 11He has bound my feet in shackles, and keeps watching everything I do.'" |
12“But you are wrong, and I will show you why. For God is greater than any human being. | 12"You aren't right about this; My response is that God is greater than human beings. |
13So why are you bringing a charge against him? Why say he does not respond to people’s complaints? | 13Why are you arguing with him? He doesn't have to give explanations for what he does to you! |
14For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. | 14"God speaks time and time again — but nobody notices— |
15He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds. | 15in a dream or night vision, when a deep sleep falls on mankind while they sleep on their beds. |
16He whispers in their ears and terrifies them with warnings. | 16That's when he opens the ear of mankind, authenticating his messages to them, |
17He makes them turn from doing wrong; he keeps them from pride. | 17turning a person from his actions, keeping him from pride, |
18He protects them from the grave, from crossing over the river of death. | 18sparing his soul from the Pit and his life from violent death. |
19“Or God disciplines people with pain on their sickbeds, with ceaseless aching in their bones. | 19"He is being reproved by painful bed rest, with continual aching in his bones. |
20They lose their appetite for even the most delicious food. | 20He cannot stand his food, and he has no desire for appetizing food. |
21Their flesh wastes away, and their bones stick out. | 21His flesh wastes away; his bones, which once couldn't be seen, are visible. |
22They are at death’s door; the angels of death wait for them. | 22His soul is getting close to the Pit; his life is approaching its executioner." |
23“But if an angel from heaven appears— a special messenger to intercede for a person and declare that he is upright— | 23"If there's a messenger appointed to mediate for Job —one out of a thousand— to represent the man's integrity on his behalf, |
24he will be gracious and say, ‘Rescue him from the grave, for I have found a ransom for his life.’ | 24to show favor to him and to plead, 'Deliver him from having to go down to the Pit — I know where his ransom is!' |
25Then his body will become as healthy as a child’s, firm and youthful again. | 25Let his flesh be rejuvenated as he was in his youth! Let him recover the strength of his youth. |
26When he prays to God, he will be accepted. And God will receive him with joy and restore him to good standing. | 26Let him pray to God and he will accept him; he will appear before him with joyful shouts!" |
27He will declare to his friends, ‘I sinned and twisted the truth, but it was not worth it. | 27"He'll sing to mankind with these words: 'I've sinned. I have twisted what is right. Yet he has not repaid me like I deserve. |
28God rescued me from the grave, and now my life is filled with light.’ | 28He has redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit; my life will see the light.' |
29“Yes, God does these things again and again for people. | 29Indeed God does all these things again and again with a person |
30He rescues them from the grave so they may enjoy the light of life. | 30to bring back his soul from the Pit; to light him with the light of life." |
31Mark this well, Job. Listen to me, for I have more to say. | 31"Job, pay attention! Listen to me! Be silent and let me speak. |
32But if you have anything to say, go ahead. Speak, for I am anxious to see you justified. | 32If you have anything to say, answer me; speak up, because I'd be happy to vindicate you. |
33But if not, then listen to me. Keep silent and I will teach you wisdom!” | 33But if you have nothing to say, then at least listen to me! Be quiet and learn some wisdom from me." |
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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