1 "However, Job, please hear my speech,
and listen to all my words.
2 See now, I have opened my mouth.
My tongue has spoken in my mouth.
3 My words will utter the uprightness of my heart.
That which my lips know they will speak sincerely.
4 The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5 If you can, answer me.
Set your words in order before me, and stand up.
6 Behold, I am toward God even as you are.
I am also formed out of the clay.
7 Behold, my terror will not make you afraid,
neither will my pressure be heavy on you.
8 "Surely you have spoken in my hearing,
I have heard the voice of your words, saying,
9 ‘I am clean, without disobedience.
I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me.
10 Behold, he finds occasions against me.
He counts me for his enemy.
11 He puts my feet in the stocks.
He marks all my paths.’
12 "Behold, I will answer you. In this you are not just,
for God is greater than man.
13 Why do you strive against him,
because he doesn’t give account of any of his matters?
14 For God speaks once,
yes twice, though man pays no attention.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on men,
in slumbering on the bed,
16 then he opens the ears of men,
and seals their instruction,
17 that he may withdraw man from his purpose,
and hide pride from man.
18 He keeps back his soul from the pit,
and his life from perishing by the sword.
19 "He is chastened also with pain on his bed,
with continual strife in his bones,
20 so that his life abhors bread,
and his soul dainty food.
21 His flesh is so consumed away that it can’t be seen.
His bones that were not seen stick out.
22 Yes, his soul draws near to the pit,
and his life to the destroyers.
23 "If there is beside him an angel,
an interpreter, one among a thousand,
to show to man what is right for him,
24 then God is gracious to him, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down to the pit,
I have found a ransom.’
25 His flesh will be fresher than a child’s.
He returns to the days of his youth.
26 He prays to God, and he is favorable to him,
so that he sees his face with joy.
He restores to man his righteousness.
27 He sings before men, and says,
‘I have sinned, and perverted that which was right,
and it didn’t profit me.
28 He has redeemed my soul from going into the pit.
My life will see the light.’
29 "Behold, God does all these things,
twice, yes three times, with a man,
30 to bring back his soul from the pit,
that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 Mark well, Job, and listen to me.
Hold your peace, and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me.
Speak, for I desire to justify you.
33 If not, listen to me.
Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom."
1 Maar hoor tog, o Job, na my rede, en luister na al my woorde.
2 Kyk, ek het my mond oopgemaak; my tong spreek in my verhemelte.
3 My woorde kom uit die opregtheid van my hart, en wat my lippe weet, spreek hulle suiwer uit.
4 Die Gees van God het my geskape, en die asem van die Almagtige maak my lewend.
5 As u kan, antwoord my; maak klaar teen my; staan gereed!
6 Kyk, teenoor God staan ek in dieselfde verhouding as u: van klei is ek ook afgeknyp.
7 Kyk, vrees vir my hoef u nie te beangstig nie, en my las sal op u nie swaar wees nie.
8 Sekerlik, u het voor my ore gesê, ek het die geluid van die woorde gehoor:
9 Rein is ek, sonder oortreding; suiwer is ek, en daar is geen skuld by my nie.
10 Kyk, Hy soek aanleidinge vir vyandskap teen my; Hy hou my vir 'n vyand van Hom.
11 Hy sit my voete in die blok; Hy bewaak al my paaie.
12 Kyk, daarin het u nie reg nie antwoord ek u, want groter is God as 'n mens.
13 Waarom het u teen Hom getwis, dat Hy op al die woorde van 'n mens nie antwoord nie?
14 Want God spreek op een, ja, op twee maniere; maar die mens let daar nie op nie.
15 In die droom, in 'n naggesig, as diepe slaap op die mense val, tydens sluimeringe op die bed,
16 dan open Hy die oor van die mense, en Hy druk die seël op die waarskuwing aan hulle;
17 om die mens terug te hou van sy onderneming en trotsheid vir die man te verberg;
18 sodat Hy sy siel kan red uit die kuil; en sy lewe, dat dit nie omkom deur die spies nie.
19 Ook word hy getugtig met smart op sy bed en aanhoudende stryd in sy gebeente,
20 sodat sy lewe hom laat walg van brood en sy siel van lieflingspys.
21 Sy vlees verdwyn, weg uit die gesig; en sy gebeente, wat onsigbaar was, steek uit.
22 Ja, sy siel kom nader by die kuil en sy lewe by die dodende magte.
23 Is daar dan vir hom 'n gesant, 'n tolk, een uit duisend, om die mens sy plig te kenne te gee;
24 en is Hy hom genadig en sê: Verlos hom, dat hy in die kuil nie afdaal nie: Ek het 'n losprys gevind --
25 dan word sy vlees fris van jeugdige krag, hy keer terug na die dae van sy jonkheid.
26 Hy bid tot God, en Hy het 'n welbehae in hom, sodat hy sy aangesig sien met gejuig: so vergeld Hy dan aan die mens sy geregtigheid.
27 Hy sing voor die mense en sê: Ek het gesondig en verdraai wat reg is, maar dit is my nie na verdienste vergeld nie.
28 Hy het my siel verlos, dat dit nie in die kuil ingegaan het nie, en my lewe mag hom verlustig in die lig.
29 Kyk, dit alles doen God, twee keer, ja, drie keer met 'n mens
30 om sy siel terug te bring van die kuil, sodat hy bestraal word met die lig van die lewe.
31 Let op, o Job! Luister na my; swyg, en ,k sal spreek.
32 As u woorde het, antwoord my; spreek, want ek wil u graag gelyk gee.
33 So nie, luister u dan na my; swyg, en ek sal u wysheid leer.