May 24 - Job 33-35
Job
1Therefore, hear my speeches, Job, and listen to all my words2Behold, I have opened my mouth; let my tongue speak along with my throat3My words are from my simple heart, and my lips will speak a pure judgment4The Spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gave me life5If you can, answer me, and oppose me to my face6Behold, God has made me, just as he also has made you, and I, likewise, have been formed of the same clay7So, truly, do not let my wonders terrify you, and do not let my eloquence be burdensome to you8For you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of your words, saying9"I am clean and without sin; I am immaculate, and there is no iniquity in me10Yet he has discovered blame in me, and so he has treated me like his enemy11He has put my feet in fetters; he has kept watch over all my ways.12Therefore, it is for this reason that you have not been justified. For I tell you that God is greater than man13Do you contend against him because he has not responded to all of your words14God speaks once, and he does not repeat the same thing a second time15Through a dream in a vision of the night, when a deep sleep falls over men, and they are sleeping in their beds16then, he opens the ears of men, and, educating them, he teaches discipline17so that he may divert a man from the things that he is doing, and may free him from pride18rescuing his soul from corruption and his life from passing away by the sword19Likewise, he rebukes by sorrow in bed, and he causes all of his bones to become weak20Bread becomes abominable to him in his life, and, to his soul, the meat which before he desired21His body will waste away, and his bones, which had been covered, will be revealed22His soul has approached corruption, and his life has drawn near to what is deadly23If there were an angel speaking for him, one among thousands, to declare the fairness of the man24he 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 him25His body is consumed by suffering. Let him return to the days of his youth.26He 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 man27He will consider mankind, and he will say: "I have sinned and truly I have offended, yet I was not treated as I deserved.28He has freed his soul from continuing into destruction, so that, in living, it may see the light29Behold, all these things God works three times within each one30so that he may revive their souls from corruption and enlighten them with the light of life31Pay attention Job, and listen to me; and remain silent, while I speak32Yet, if you have anything to say, answer me and speak, for I want you to be treated justly33But if you do not have anything to say, then listen to me. Be quiet and I will teach you wisdom
1After proclaiming these things, Eliu now had this to say2May the wise hear my words, and may the educated listen to me3For the ear examines words, and the mouth discerns foods by the taste4Let us choose judgment for ourselves, and let us consider among ourselves what is best5For Job has said: "I am just, yet God has subverted my judgment6For, within my judgment, there is a lie: my vehement barbs are without any sin.7What man is there that is like Job, who drinks up derision as if it were water8who accompanies those who work iniquity, and who walks with impious men9For he has said, "Man will not please God, even if he should travel with him.10Therefore, prudent men, hear me: impiety is far from God, and iniquity is far from the Almighty11For he will restore to man his works, and according to the ways of each, he will repay them12For truly, God will not condemn in vain, nor will the Almighty repudiate judgment13What other is established over the earth? Or whom has he placed over the world, which he made14But, if he directs his heart towards him, he will draw his spirit and breath to himself15All flesh will fail together, and man will return to ashes16Therefore, if you have understanding, hear what is said, and heed the sound of my eloquence17Is he that does not love judgment able to be corrected? And how can you so greatly condemn him who is just18He says to the king, "You are an apostate." He calls commanders impious19He does not accept the reputation of leaders; nor does he recognize the tyrant as he contends against the poor. For all are the work of his hands20They will die suddenly, and the people will be troubled in the middle of the night, but they will pass through it, and the violent will be taken away without a hand21For his eyes are upon the ways of men, and he examines all of their steps22There is no darkness and no shadow of death, where those who work iniquity may be hidden23For it is no longer within the power of man to enter into judgment with God24He will break into many innumerable pieces, and he will cause others to stand up in their place25For he knows their works, and, as a result, he will bring the night, and they will be crushed26Just as the impious do, he has struck them in a place where they can be seen27They, as if with great diligence, have withdrawn from him, and they refused to understand all his ways28so that they caused the outcry of the needy to reach him, and he heard the voice of the poor29For, when he grants peace, who is there that can condemn? When he hides his face, who is there that can contemplate him, either among the nations, or among all men30He causes a hypocritical man to reign because of the sins of the people31Therefore, since I have been speaking about God, I will not prevent you from doing the same32If I have erred, you may teach me; if I have spoken unfairly, I will add no more33Does God require this of you because it is displeasing to you? For you were the first to speak, and not I. But if you know something better, speak34Let men of understanding speak to me, and let a wise man listen to me35But Job has been speaking foolishly, and his words contain unsound teaching36My father, let Job be tested even to the end; may you not retreat from a man of iniquity37For he adds blasphemy on top of his sins; nevertheless, let him be constrained to be among us, and then let him provoke God to judgment with his speeches
1After this, Eliu again spoke in this way2Does it seem right to you in your thoughts, that you should say, "I am more just than God?3For you said, "Having done what is right does not please you," and, "How will it benefit you, if I sin?4And so, I will respond to your words, and to your friends who are with you5Look up towards heaven and consider; also, think about the sky, which is higher than you6If you sin, how will it hurt him? And if your iniquities are multiplied, what will you do against him7Furthermore, if you act justly, what will you give him, or what will he receive from your hand8Your impiety may hurt a man who is like you, though your justice may help the son of the man9Because of the multitude of false accusers, they will cry out; and they will lament because of the strong arm of the tyrants10Yet he has not said: "Where is God, who made me, who has given songs in the night11who teaches us in addition to the beasts of the earth, and who educates us along with the birds of the air?12There they will cry, and he will not heed them, because of the arrogance of the wicked13Therefore, God does not hear in vain, and the Almighty will look into each and every case14And so, when you say, "He does not examine," be judged before him, but wait for him15For, at the present time, he does not bring forth his fury, nor does he punish sin exceedingly16Therefore, Job has opened his mouth in vain and has multiplied words without knowledge