1"However, Job, please listen to what I have to say, and pay attention to all my words.
2See now, I have opened my mouth. My tongue has spoken within my mouth.
3My words will express the honesty of my heart. What my lips know, they will speak sincerely.
4The Spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
5If you can, answer me. Prepare your arguments before me, and stand up.
6Look, I am just like you in relation to God. I am also formed from clay.
7Look, my presence won't scare you, nor will I put heavy pressure on you.
8"Surely you have spoken within my hearing, I have heard the sound of your words, saying,
9'I am clean, without wrongdoing. I am innocent, and there is no sin in me.'
10'Look, he finds reasons to oppose me. He considers me his enemy.'
11'He puts my feet in shackles. He watches all my steps.'
12"Look, I will answer you. In this, you are not right, for God is greater than any human.
13Why do you argue against him, because he doesn't explain any of his actions?
14God speaks in many ways, even if people don’t pay attention.
15He speaks in dreams and visions at night, when a deep sleep comes over people in their beds.
16Then he gets their attention and teaches them.
17He does this to turn people away from their bad plans and to keep them from being proud.
18He saves them from dying and keeps them from being killed with a weapon.
19People can also be disciplined with pain in their beds, with constant aching in their bones.
20This makes them hate food, even pleasant meals.
21Their bodies waste away until they are unrecognizable; their bones, which were once hidden, now stick out.
22They come very close to death.
23But if an angel, a messenger, one in a thousand, is there to show a person what is right for them,
24then God is kind to them and says, ‘Save them from dying, I have found a way to pay for their release.’
25Their skin becomes healthier than a child’s; they return to the vigor of their youth.
26They pray to God, and he listens to them, so they see his face with joy. God makes them right with him again.
27They tell everyone, ‘I sinned and twisted what was right, but it did not help me.’
28‘He saved me from dying. I will now live and see the light.’
29Understand, God does all these things again and again for a person,
30to save them from dying and to let them live in the light.
31Listen carefully, Job, and pay attention to me. Be quiet, and I will speak.
32If you have anything to say, answer me. Speak up, because I want to show that you are right.
33If not, then listen to me. Be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.”