Study Desk

"However now, Job, please ^(a)hear my speech, And listen to all my words.

"Behold now, I open my mouth, My tongue in my ^[a]mouth speaks.

"My words are from the uprightness of my heart, And my lips speak ^(b)knowledge sincerely.

"The ^(c)Spirit of God has made me, And the ^(d)breath of ^[b]the Almighty gives me life.

"^(e)Refute me if you can; Array yourselves before me, take your stand.

"Behold, I belong to God like you; I too have been ^[c]formed out of the ^(f)clay.

"Behold, ^(g)no fear of me should terrify you, Nor should my pressure weigh heavily on you.

"Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words:

‘I am ^(h)pure, ⁽ⁱ⁾without transgression; I am innocent and there ^(j)is no guilt in me.

‘Behold, He ^[d]invents pretexts against me; He ^(k)counts me as His enemy.

‘He ^(l)puts my feet in the stocks; He watches all my paths.'

"Behold, let me ^[e]tell you, ^(m)you are not right in this, For God is greater than man.

"Why do you ⁽ⁿ⁾complain against Him That He does not give an account of all His doings?

"Indeed ^(o)God speaks once, Or twice, yet no one notices it.

"In a ^(p)dream, a vision of the night, When sound sleep falls on men, While they slumber in their beds,

Then ^(q)He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction,

That He may turn man aside from his conduct, And ^[f]keep man from pride;

He ^(r)keeps back his soul from the pit, And his life from ^[g]passing over ^(s)into Sheol.

"^[h]Man is also chastened with ^(t)pain on his bed, And with unceasing complaint in his bones;

So that his life ^(u)loathes bread, And his soul favorite food.

"His ^(v)flesh wastes away from sight, And his ^(w)bones which were not seen stick out.

"Then ^(x)his soul draws near to the pit, And his life to those who bring death.

"If there is an angel as ^(y)mediator for him, One out of a thousand, To remind a man what is ^[i]right for him,

Then let him be gracious to him, and say, ‘Deliver him from ^(z)going down to the pit, I have found a ^(aa)ransom';

Let his flesh become fresher than in youth, Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor;

Then he will ^(ab)pray to God, and He will accept him, That ^(ac)he may see His face with joy, And He may restore His righteousness to man.

"He will sing to men and say, ‘I ^(ad)have sinned and perverted what is right, And it is not ^(ae)proper for me.

‘He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit, And my life shall ^(af)see the light.'

"Behold, God does ^(ag)all these ^[j]oftentimes with men,

To ^(ah)bring back his soul from the pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of life.

"Pay attention, O Job, listen to me; Keep silent, and let me speak.

"Then if ^[k]you have anything to say, answer me; Speak, for I desire to justify you.

"If not, ^(ai)listen to me; Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom."