1Hør nu her, Job, hvad jeg har at sige. Lyt omhyggeligt til alle mine ord.2Nu, da jeg har taget bladet fra munden, og ordene ligger mig på tungen,3så lad mig sige, hvad jeg har på hjerte. Jeg taler ærligt og oprigtigt.4Det var Guds Ånd, der skabte mig. Den Almægtiges åndepust gav mig liv.5Gør dig parat til at svare, hvis du kan, kom bare med dine argumenter.6Overfor Gud er vi lige, du og jeg. Vi er begge skrøbelige mennesker.7Du behøver ikke at være bange, for jeg ønsker ikke at genere dig.8Mens jeg sad og lyttede, hørte jeg, at du sagde:9‚Jeg er uskyldig og uden synd. Jeg har en ren samvittighed.10Men Gud har fundet et påskud for at straffe mig, han behandler mig som en fjende.11Han har lagt mine fødder i lænker, han holder øje med alt, hvad jeg foretager mig.’12Men dertil må jeg sige, at du tager fejl, for Gud er større end noget menneske.13Hvilken ret har du til at påstå, at han ikke svarer på dine spørgsmål?14Gud taler på mange måder, men tit hører vi ikke, hvad han siger.15Han taler gennem drømme og syner, mens vi ligger i vores senge om natten.16Han hvisker os formaninger i øret, viser os skræmmende billeder,17så vi ikke skal komme på gale veje eller blive stolte og hovmodige.18Han ønsker nemlig at advare os, så vi ikke går i dødens fælde.19Andre gange straffes et menneske med smerter, så han ligger bundet til sengen i konstant pine.20Så mister han fuldstændig appetitten og har ikke engang lyst til lækker mad.21Han taber sig og bliver en skygge af sig selv, ender som det rene skind og ben.22Han hører dødens kalden og nærmer sig gravens rand.23Men hvis en engel går i forbøn for ham, hvis et af Guds tusinde sendebud fortæller ham, hvad han bør gøre,24og hvis Gud derefter er nådig imod ham og siger: ‚Løs ham! Han skal ikke dø, for jeg har modtaget en løsesum,’25da får han sit helbred igen, han får sin ungdoms styrke tilbage.26For når han beder Gud om nåde, bliver han også taget til nåde. Så bliver han forsonet med Gud og kan igen tænke på ham med glæde.27Derefter kan han fortælle sine venner: ‚Jeg syndede og gjorde oprør mod Gud, men han var nådig imod mig.28Han betalte løsesummen og reddede mig fra døden, så nu kan jeg atter glædes ved livet.’29Ja, sådan gør Gud ofte: Han giver os en chance til.30Han redder os på tærsklen til døden, så vi atter kan glædes ved livet.31Hører du, hvad jeg siger, Job? Du behøver ikke at svare endnu.32Men har du noget at sige, så kom bare med det, for jeg ønsker at se dig blive genoprettet.33Hvis ikke, så lyt til mig lidt endnu. Vær stille, så jeg kan lære dig visdom.”
1“But now, hear my speech, O Job, and listen to all my words.2Behold, I open my mouth; the tongue in my mouth speaks. (Job 3,1)3My words declare the uprightness of my heart, and what my lips know they speak sincerely.4The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. (1.Mos 2,7; Job 27,3; Job 32,8; Ez 37,9; Ap G 17,25)5Answer me, if you can; set your words in order before me; take your stand. (Job 13,18; Job 23,4; Job 33,32; Salm 5,3)6Behold, I am toward God as you are; I too was pinched off from a piece of clay. (Job 4,19)7Behold, no fear of me need terrify you; my pressure will not be heavy upon you. (Job 9,34; Job 13,21; Job 23,2)8“Surely you have spoken in my ears, and I have heard the sound of your words.9You say, ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me. (Job 9,21; Job 10,7; Job 11,4; Job 12,4; Job 13,18; Job 16,17; Job 23,10; Job 27,5; Job 29,14; Job 32,1; Job 34,5; Job 34,6)10Behold, he finds occasions against me, he counts me as his enemy, (Job 13,24)11he puts my feet in the stocks and watches all my paths.’ (Job 10,14; Job 13,27; Job 14,16; Job 31,4)12“Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you, for God is greater than man.13Why do you contend against him, saying, ‘He will answer none of man’s[1] words’?[2] (Job 9,12; Job 13,3; Job 16,21; Job 31,35; Job 40,2)14For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it. (1.Sam 3,4; 1.Sam 3,6; Job 33,29; Job 40,5; Salm 62,11)15In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds, (4.Mos 12,6; Job 4,13; Salm 17,3)16then he opens the ears of men and terrifies[3] them with warnings, (Job 36,10; Job 36,15; Salm 40,6; Es 50,5)17that he may turn man aside from his deed and conceal pride from a man; (Job 36,9)18he keeps back his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword. (Job 36,12)19“Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed and with continual strife in his bones, (Job 30,17)20so that his life loathes bread, and his appetite the choicest food. (Salm 107,18; Ord 23,3)21His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out. (Salm 22,17)22His soul draws near the pit, and his life to those who bring death. (2.Sam 24,16; Job 33,24; Job 33,28; Salm 78,49)23If there be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand, to declare to man what is right for him, (1.Mos 16,7; 1.Mos 22,11; 1.Mos 42,23; 1.Mos 48,16; Salm 34,7; Ord 14,2; Præd 7,28; Høj 5,10; Es 43,27; Es 63,9; Ez 18,21; Mal 3,1)24and he is merciful to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down into the pit; I have found a ransom; (Job 36,18; Salm 49,7)25let his flesh become fresh with youth; let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’; (2.Kong 5,14; Heb 9,12)26then man[4] prays to God, and he accepts him; he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he restores to man his righteousness. (2.Sam 12,13; Job 22,27; Salm 17,15; Ord 28,13; Luk 15,21; 1.Joh 1,9)27He sings before men and says: ‘I sinned and perverted what was right, and it was not repaid to me. (Salm 106,6; Rom 6,21)28He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit, and my life shall look upon the light.’ (Job 3,9; Job 33,22; Job 33,24; Es 38,17)29“Behold, God does all these things, twice, three times, with a man, (Job 33,14)30to bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be lighted with the light of life. (Salm 56,13)31Pay attention, O Job, listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.32If you have any words, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify you. (Job 33,5; Job 34,33)33If not, listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.” (Salm 34,11)