¹ Hear, therefore, my discourse, I pray thee, O Job! And attend unto all my words!

² Behold, I am opening my mouth; My tongue is now speaking in my palate.

³ My words shall be in the uprightness of my heart; My lips shall utter knowledge purely.

⁴ The spirit of God made me, And the breath of the Almighty gave me life.

⁵ If thou art able, answer me; Set thyself in array against me; stand up!

⁶ Behold, I, like thee, am a creature of God; I also was formed of clay.

⁷ Behold, my terror cannot dismay thee, Nor can my greatness be heavy upon thee.

⁸ Surely thou hast said in my hearing, I have heard the sound of thy words:

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

¹⁰ Behold, He seeketh causes of hostility against me; He regardeth me as his enemy.

¹¹ He putteth my feet in the stocks; He watcheth all my paths."

¹² Behold, in this thou art not right; I will answer thee; For God is greater than man.

¹³ Why dost thou contend with Him? For he giveth no account of any of his doings.

¹⁴ For God speaketh once, Yea, twice, when man regardeth it not.

¹⁵ In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falleth upon men, In slumber upon the bed;

¹⁶ Then openeth he the ears of men, And sealeth up for them admonition;

¹⁷ That he may turn man from his purpose, And hide pride from man.

¹⁸ Thus he saveth him from the pit, Yea, his life from perishing by the sword.

¹⁹ He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, And with a continual agitation of his bones,

²⁰ So that his mouth abhorreth bread, And his taste the choicest food;

²¹ His flesh is consumed, that it cannot be seen, And his bones, that were invisible, are naked;

²² Yea, his soul draweth near to the pit, And his life to the destroyers.

²³ But if there be with him a messenger, An interpreter, one of a thousand, Who may show unto man his duty,

²⁴ Then will God be gracious to him, and say, "Save him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom."

²⁵ His flesh shall became fresher than a child’s; He shall return to the days of his youth.

²⁶ He shall pray to God, and he will be favorable to him, And permit him to see his face with joy, And restore unto man his righteousness.

²⁷ He shall sing among men, and say, "I sinned; I acted perversely; Yet hath he not requited me for it:

²⁸ He hath delivered me from going down to the pit, And my life beholdeth the light."

²⁹ Lo! all these things doeth God Time after time with man,

³⁰ That he may bring him back from the pit, That he may enjoy the light of the living.

³¹ Mark well, O Job! hearken to me! Keep silence, and I will speak.

³² Yet if thou hast any thing to say, answer me! Speak! for I desire to pronounce thee innocent.

³³ But if not, do thou listen to me! Keep silence, and I will teach thee wisdom!