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¹ Nevertheless, Job, I pray you, hear my speech, And listen to all my words.² Look now, I have opened my mouth; My tongue has 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 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, stand forth.⁶ Look, I am toward God even as you are: I also am formed out of the clay.⁷ Look, my terror shall not make you afraid, Neither shall my pressure be heavy on you.

⁸ Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the voice of [your] words, [saying],⁹ I am clean, without transgression; I am pure, neither is there iniquity in me:¹⁰ Look, 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 Look, I will answer you, in this you are not just; For God is greater than common 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] does not regard it.¹⁵ In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls on men, In slumberings on the bed;¹⁶ Then he opens the ears of men, And seals their warning,¹⁷ That he may withdraw man [from his] purpose, And hide pride from a [noble] 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, And with continual strife in his bones;²⁰ So that his life abhors bread, And his soul dainty food.²¹ His flesh is consumed away, that it can't be seen; And 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 with 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, Protect him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.²⁵ His flesh becomes 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: And he restores to common 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, And my life shall see the light.

²⁹ Look, God works all these things, Twice, [yes] thrice, with a [noble] 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, 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.