1 “Please, Job, listen to my words
2 I’ve opened my mouth.
3 My words are straight from the heart,
4 “God’s Spirit has made me.
5 Answer me if you can.
6 Indeed, I stand in front of God as you do.
7 You certainly don’t need to be terrified of me.
8 “But you spoke directly to me,
9 ⌞You said,⌟ ‘I’m pure—without any rebellious acts ⌞against God⌟.
10 God is only looking for an excuse to attack me.
11 He puts my feet in the stocks and watches all my paths.’
12 You aren’t right about this!
13 Why do you quarrel with him
14 “God speaks in one way,
15 In a dream, a prophetic vision at night,
16 he opens people’s ears
17 ⌞He warns them⌟ to turn away from doing ⌞wrong⌟
18 He keeps their souls from the pit
19 In pain on their sickbeds, they are disciplined
20 so that their whole being hates food
21 Their flesh becomes so thin that it can’t be seen.
22 Their souls approach the pit.
23 “If they have a messenger for them,
24 then he will have pity on them and say,
25 Then their flesh will become softer than a child’s.
26 They will pray to God, who will be pleased with them.
27 Each one sings in front of other people and says,
28 The messenger has freed my soul from going into the pit,
29 Truly, God does all this two or three times with people
30 to turn their souls away from the pit
31 “Pay attention, Job! Listen to me!
32 If you have a response, answer me.
33 If not, you listen to me.