Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear my speech,
And hearken to all my words.
Behold now, I have opened my mouth;
My tongue hath spoken in my {Hebrew: palate.}mouth.
My words shall utter the uprightness of my heart;
And that which my lips know they shall speak sincerely.
The Spirit of God hath made me,
And the breath of the Almighty giveth me life.
If thou canst, answer thou me;
Set thy words in order before me, stand forth.
Behold, {Or, I am according to thy wish in God's stead}I am toward God even as thou art:
I also am formed out of the clay.
Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid,
Neither shall my pressure be heavy upon thee.
Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing,
And I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,
I am clean, without transgression;
I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me:
Behold, he findeth {Or, causes of alienation}occasions against me,
He counteth me for his enemy:
He putteth my feet in the stocks,
He marketh all my paths.
Behold, {Or, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, For &c.}I will answer thee, in this thou art not just;
For God is greater than man.
Why dost thou strive against him,
For that he giveth not account of any of his matters?
For God speaketh {Or, in one way, yea, in two}once,
Yea twice, though man regardeth it not.
In a dream, in a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falleth upon men,
In slumberings upon the bed;
Then he {Hebrew: uncovereth.}openeth the ears of men,
And sealeth their instruction,
{Or, That man may put away his purpose. And that he may hide}That he may withdraw man from his purpose,
And hide pride from man;
{Or, That he may keep back}He keepeth back his soul from the pit,
And his life from perishing by the {Or, weapons}sword.
He is chastened also with pain upon his bed,
{Another reading is, While all his bones are firm.}And with continual strife in his bones;
So that his life abhorreth bread,
And his soul dainty food.
His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen;
And his bones that were not seen stick out.
Yea, his soul draweth near unto the pit,
And his life to the destroyers.
If there be with him {Or, a messenger}an angel,
An interpreter, one {Or, of the thousand}among a thousand,
To show unto man {Or, his uprightness}what is right for him;
{Or, And he be gracious and say ransom his flesh &c.}Then God is gracious unto him, and saith,
Deliver him from going down to the pit,
I have found a ransom.
His flesh shall be fresher than a child's;
He returneth to the days of his youth.
He prayeth unto God, and he is favorable unto him,
So that he seeth his face with joy:
And he restoreth unto man his righteousness.
He {Or, looketh upon men}singeth before men, and saith,
I have sinned, and perverted that which was right,
And {Or, it was nor requited unto me Or, it was not meet for me}it profited me not:
He hath redeemed my soul from going into the pit,
And my life shall behold the light.
Lo, all these things doth God work,
Twice, yea thrice, with a man,
To bring back his soul from the pit,
That he may be enlightened with the light of {Or, life}the living.
Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me:
Hold thy peace, and I will speak.
If thou hast anything to say, answer me:
Speak, for I desire to justify thee.
If not, hearken thou unto me:
Hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom.
Querverweise zu Hiob 33,12 Hiob 33,12
In all this Job sinned not, nor {Or, attributed folly to God}charged God foolishly.
I also will answer my part,I also will show mine opinion.
He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength:Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?—
Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding:Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness,And from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
For the work of a man will he render unto him,And cause every man to find according to his ways.
Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly,Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
I will answer thee,And thy companions with thee.
Lo, these are but the outskirts of his ways:And {Or, how little a portion}how small a whisper {Or, is heard}do we hear of him!But the thunder of his {Or, mighty deeds}power who can understand?
Shall even one that hateth justice govern?And wilt thou condemn him that is righteous and mighty?—
{The Hebrew as pointed reads, Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art vile? Or, to nobles, Ye are wicked?}Him that saith to a king, Thou art vile,Or to nobles, Ye are wicked;
That respecteth not the persons of princes,Nor regardeth the rich more than the poor;For they all are the work of his hands.
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any:He is mighty in strength of {Hebrew: heart.}understanding.
For he needeth not further to consider a man,That he should go before God in judgment.
Shall he that cavilleth contend with the Almighty?He that argueth with God, let him answer it.
Thinkest thou this to be thy right,Or sayest thou, My righteousness is more than God's,
Wilt thou even annul my judgment?Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be justified?
Behold, God doeth loftily in his power:Who is a teacher like unto him?
Or hast thou an arm like God?And canst thou thunder with a voice like him?
Who hath enjoined him his way?Or who can say, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?
O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith Jehovah. Behold, as the clay in the potter's hand, so are ye in my hand, O house of Israel.
Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel: Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?
Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he still find fault? For who withstandeth his will?
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why didst thou make me thus?
Or hath not the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?