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¹ Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear my speech, and hearken to all my words.² Behold now, I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth.³ My words shall utter the uprightness of my heart; and that which my lips know they shall speak sincerely.⁴ The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty given me life.⁵ If thou canst, answer thou me, set thy words in order before me, stand forth.⁶ Behold, I am toward God even as thou art; I also am formed out of the clay.⁷ Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my pressure be heavy upon thee.

⁸ Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words;⁹ 'I am clean, without transgression, I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me;¹⁰ Behold, He findeth occasions against me, He counteth me for His enemy;¹¹ He putteth my feet in the stocks, He marketh all my paths.'¹² Behold, I answer thee: In this thou art not right, that God is too great for man;¹³ Why hast thou striven against Him? seeing that He will not answer any of his words.

¹⁴ For God speaketh in one way, yea in two, though man perceiveth it not.¹⁵ In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;¹⁶ Then He openeth the ears of men, and by their chastisement sealeth the decree,¹⁷ That men may put away their purpose, and that He may hide pride from man;¹⁸ That He may keep back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

¹⁹ He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and all his bones grow stiff;²⁰ So that his life maketh him to abhor bread, and his soul dainty food.²¹ His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones corrode to unsightliness.²² Yea, his soul draweth near unto the pit, and his life to the destroyers.²³ If there be for him an angel, an intercessor, one among a thousand, to vouch for a man's uprightness;²⁴ Then He is gracious unto him, and saith: 'Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.'²⁵ His flesh is tenderer than a child's; he returneth to the days of his youth;²⁶ He prayeth unto God, and He is favourable unto him; so that he seeth His face with joy; ²⁷ He cometh before men, and saith: 'I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not.'²⁸ So He redeemeth his soul from going into the pit, and his life beholdeth the light.

²⁹ Lo, all these things doth God work, twice, yea thrice, 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, O Job, hearken unto me; hold thy peace, and I will speak.³² If thou hast any thing to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify thee.³³ If not, hearken thou unto me; hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom.