¹ But, in very deed, hear, I pray thee, Job, my discourse, and, to all my words, give thou ear.

² Lo! I pray thee, I have opened my mouth, My tongue, with my palate, hath spoken,

³ Mine utterances come straight from mine own heart, and, what I know, my lips have truly spoken;

⁴ The spirit of GOD, hath made me, and, the inspiration of the Almighty, giveth me life.

⁵ If thou art able to answer me, Set in order before me—take thy stand!

⁶ Lo! I am like thyself toward GOD, From clay, have I been nipped off, even I!

⁷ Lo! my terror, will not startle thee, nor, my hand, upon thee, be heavy.

⁸ But thou hast spoken in mine ears, and, the sound of words, I heard:—

⁹ Pure am, I, without transgression,—Clean am, I, and have no iniquity;

¹⁰ Lo! occasions of hostility, would he find against me, He counteth me an enemy to him;

¹¹ He putteth—in the stocks—my feet, He watcheth all my paths.

¹² Lo! in this, thou hast not been right—let me answer thee, For, GOD, is greater than, man.

¹³ Wherefore, against him, hast thou contended? For, with none of his reasons, will he respond.

¹⁴ For, in one way, GOD may speak,—and, in a second way, one may not heed it:—

¹⁵ In a dream, a vision of the night, when a deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed,

¹⁶ Then, uncovereth he the ear of men, and, on their correction, affixeth a seal;

¹⁷ To turn a son of earth from his deed, while yet, pride, from man he concealeth:

¹⁸ He keepeth back his said from the pit, and his life from passing away by a weapon.

¹⁹ Or he is chastised with pain, upon his bed, and, the strife of his bones, is unceasing!

²⁰ So that his life maketh loathsome [his] food, and his soul, dainty meat;

²¹ His flesh wasteth away out of sight, and bared are the bones once unseen;

²² So doth his soul draw near to the pit, and his life to the inflicters of death:

²³ If there hath been near him a messenger who could interpret—one of a thousand, to declare to the son of earth His uprightness,

²⁴ Then hath he shewed him favour, and said, Set him free from going down to the pit, I have found a price of redemption!

²⁵ His flesh hath been made fresher than a child’s, he hath returned to the days of his youth;

²⁶ He made supplication unto GOD, who hath accepted him, and he hath beheld his face with a shout of triumph, Thus hath he given back to man his righteousness.

²⁷ He sang before men, and said, I sinned, and, uprightness, I perverted, yet he requited me not;

²⁸ He hath ransomed my soul from passing away into the pit,—and, my life, in the light, shall have vision.

²⁹ Lo! a these things, doth GOD work, two ways, three, with a man;

³⁰ To bring back his soul from the pit, to enlighten with the light of the living.

³¹ Mark well, O Job, and hearken to me, Be silent, and, I, will speak:

³² If there is anything to say, reply to me, Speak, for I desire to justify thee;

³³ If not, do, thou, hearken unto me, Be silent, that I may teach thee wisdom.