Job 33

Elihu: I too was pinched off from clay

1So now, Job, hear what I say; listen to all my words. 2Look, I have opened my mouth; my tongue is speaking behind my teeth. 3My words come from an upright heart; my lips speak knowledge, and speak it clean. 4The spirit of God made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. 5Answer me, if you can. Set out your case in front of me; stand up. 6Look, before God I am the same as you; I too was pinched off from clay. 7No terror of mine should frighten you; my hand will not lie heavy on you. 8But you have said in my hearing — I heard the sound of the words — 9“I am pure, I have not rebelled; I am clean, and there is no guilt in me. 10Yet he keeps finding pretexts against me; he counts me his enemy. 11He puts my feet in the stocks; he watches every path I take.” 12In this you are not right, and I will answer you: Eloah is greater than a mortal. 13Why do you go to law with him, since he answers for none of his words?

God speaks, and no one sees it

14For God speaks one way, and a second way, and no one sees it. 15In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people and they doze on their beds, 16then he opens their ear and seals the warning he lays on them, 17to turn man away from what he is doing and cut the pride out of the valiant man, 18to keep his soul back from the pit, his life from crossing over by the spear. 19He is corrected with pain on his bed, with the ceaseless ache of all his bones. 20His life makes him gag at bread, his appetite at the food he loved. 21His flesh wastes out of sight, and bones that were never seen stick out. 22His soul comes close to the pit, his life to those who bring death.

I have found a ransom

23If there is an angel at his side, a mediator, one out of a thousand, to tell man what is right for him, 24then he is gracious to him and says, “Spare him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom.” 25Let his flesh grow fresher than a boy’s; let him go back to the days of his youth. 26He prays to Eloah, and is accepted; he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he gives the mortal his righteousness back. 27He sings out in front of everyone and says, “I sinned, I twisted what was straight, and I was not paid back as I deserved.” 28He has redeemed his soul from crossing into the pit, and his life will look on the light.* 29See, all this God does, twice, three times, with a valiant man, 30to bring his soul back from the pit, to light him with the light of the living. 31Pay attention, Job; listen to me. Be quiet, and I will speak. 32If you have anything to say, answer me. Speak, for I would be glad to prove you right. 33If not, listen to me. Be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.