Chapter 33

Therefore, hear my speeches, Job, and listen to all my words.

Behold, I have opened my mouth; let my tongue speak along with my throat.

My words are from my simple heart, and my lips will speak a pure judgment.

The Spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gave me life.

If you can, answer me, and oppose me to my face.

Behold, God has made me, just as he also has made you, and I, likewise, have been formed of the same clay.

So, truly, do not let my wonders terrify you, and do not let my eloquence be burdensome to you.

For you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of your words, saying:

“I am clean and without sin; I am immaculate, and there is no iniquity in me.

Yet he has discovered blame in me, and so he has treated me like his enemy.

He has put my feet in fetters; he has kept watch over all my ways.”

Therefore, it is for this reason that you have not been justified. For I tell you that God is greater than man.

Do you contend against him because he has not responded to all of your words?

God speaks once, and he does not repeat the same thing a second time.

Through a dream in a vision of the night, when a deep sleep falls over men, and they are sleeping in their beds,

then, he opens the ears of men, and, educating them, he teaches discipline,

so that he may divert a man from the things that he is doing, and may free him from pride,

rescuing his soul from corruption and his life from passing away by the sword.

Likewise, he rebukes by sorrow in bed, and he causes all of his bones to become weak.

Bread becomes abominable to him in his life, and, to his soul, the meat which before he desired.

His body will waste away, and his bones, which had been covered, will be revealed.

His soul has approached corruption, and his life has drawn near to what is deadly.

If there were an angel speaking for him, one among thousands, to declare the fairness of the man,

he will have mercy on him, and he will say, “Free him, so that he will not descend to destruction. I have found a reason to be favorable to him.

His body is consumed by suffering. Let him return to the days of his youth.”

He will beg pardon from God, and he will be soothing to him; and he will look upon his face in jubilation, and he will restore his justice to man.

He will consider mankind, and he will say: “I have sinned and truly I have offended, yet I was not treated as I deserved.”

He has freed his soul from continuing into destruction, so that, in living, it may see the light.

Behold, all these things God works three times within each one,

so that he may revive their souls from corruption and enlighten them with the light of life.

Pay attention Job, and listen to me; and remain silent, while I speak.

Yet, if you have anything to say, answer me and speak, for I want you to be treated justly.

But if you do not have anything to say, then listen to me. Be quiet and I will teach you wisdom.