Job 33:8-22
Job 33:8-22 The Message (MSG)
“Here’s what you said. I heard you say it with my own ears. You said, ‘I’m pure—I’ve done nothing wrong. Believe me, I’m clean—my conscience is clear. But God keeps picking on me; he treats me like I’m his enemy. He’s thrown me in jail; he keeps me under constant surveillance.’ “But let me tell you, Job, you’re wrong, dead wrong! God is far greater than any human. So how dare you haul him into court, and then complain that he won’t answer your charges? God always answers, one way or another, even when people don’t recognize his presence. “In a dream, for instance, a vision at night, when men and women are deep in sleep, fast asleep in their beds— God opens their ears and impresses them with warnings To turn them back from something bad they’re planning, from some reckless choice, And keep them from an early grave, from the river of no return. “Or, God might get their attention through pain, by throwing them on a bed of suffering, So they can’t stand the sight of food, have no appetite for their favorite treats. They lose weight, wasting away to nothing, reduced to a bag of bones. They hang on the cliff-edge of death, knowing the next breath may be their last.
Job 33:8-22 King James Version (KJV)
Surely thou hast spoken in mine 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 occasions against me, He counteth me for his enemy, He putteth my feet in the stocks, He marketh all my paths. Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man. Why dost thou strive against him? For he giveth not account of any of his matters. For God speaketh once, Yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falleth upon men, In slumberings upon the bed; Then he openeth the ears of men, And sealeth their instruction, That he may withdraw man from his purpose, And hide pride from man. He keepeth back his soul from the pit, And his life from perishing by the sword. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, And the multitude of his bones with strong pain: So that his life abhorreth bread, And his soul dainty meat. 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 grave, And his life to the destroyers.
Job 33:8-22 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
“Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words: ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent and there is no guilt in me. Behold, He invents pretexts against me; He counts me as His enemy. He puts my feet in the stocks; He watches all my paths.’ Behold, let me tell you, you are not right in this, For God is greater than man. “Why do you complain against Him That He does not give an account of all His doings? Indeed God speaks once, Or twice, yet no one notices it. In a dream, a vision of the night, When sound sleep falls on men, While they slumber in their beds, Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction, That He may turn man aside from his conduct, And keep man from pride; He keeps back his soul from the pit, And his life from passing over into Sheol. “Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, And with unceasing complaint in his bones; So that his life loathes bread, And his soul favorite food. His flesh wastes away from sight, And his bones which were not seen stick out. Then his soul draws near to the pit, And his life to those who bring death.
Job 33:8-22 New Century Version (NCV)
“But I heard what you have said; I heard every word. You said, ‘I am pure and without sin; I am innocent and free from guilt. But God has found fault with me; he considers me his enemy. He locks my feet in chains and closely watches everywhere I go.’ “But I tell you, you are not right in saying this, because God is greater than we are. Why do you accuse God of not answering anyone? God does speak—sometimes one way and sometimes another— even though people may not understand it. He speaks in a dream or a vision of the night when people are in a deep sleep, lying on their beds. He speaks in their ears and frightens them with warnings to turn them away from doing wrong and to keep them from being proud. God does this to save people from death, to keep them from dying. People may be corrected while in bed in great pain; they may have continual pain in their very bones. They may be in such pain that they even hate food, even the very best meal. Their body becomes so thin there is almost nothing left of it, and their bones that were hidden now stick out. They are near death, and their life is almost over.
Job 33:8-22 American Standard Version (ASV)
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 occasions against me, He counteth me for his enemy; He putteth my feet in the stocks, He marketh all my paths. Behold, 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 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 openeth the ears of men, And sealeth their instruction, That he may withdraw man from his purpose, And hide pride from man; He keepeth back his soul from the pit, And his life from perishing by the sword. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, 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.
Job 33:8-22 New International Version (NIV)
“But you have said in my hearing— I heard the very words— ‘I am pure, I have done no wrong; I am clean and free from sin. Yet God has found fault with me; he considers me his enemy. He fastens my feet in shackles; he keeps close watch on all my paths.’ “But I tell you, in this you are not right, for God is greater than any mortal. Why do you complain to him that he responds to no one’s words? For God does speak—now one way, now another— though no one perceives it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds, he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings, to turn them from wrongdoing and keep them from pride, to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword. “Or someone may be chastened on a bed of pain with constant distress in their bones, so that their body finds food repulsive and their soul loathes the choicest meal. Their flesh wastes away to nothing, and their bones, once hidden, now stick out. They draw near to the pit, and their life to the messengers of death.
Job 33:8-22 New King James Version (NKJV)
“Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words, saying, ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me. Yet He finds occasions against me, He counts me as His enemy; He puts my feet in the stocks, He watches all my paths.’ “Look, in this you are not righteous. I will answer you, For God is greater than man. Why do you contend with Him? For He does not give an accounting of any of His words. For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds, Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction. In order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man, He keeps back his soul from the Pit, And his life from perishing by the sword. “Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, And with strong pain in many of his bones, So that his life abhors bread, And his soul succulent food. His flesh wastes away from sight, And his bones stick out which once were not seen. Yes, his soul draws near the Pit, And his life to the executioners.
Job 33:8-22 Amplified Bible (AMP)
¶“Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words, saying: ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent and there is no guilt in me. ‘Behold, God finds pretexts against me; He counts me as His enemy. ‘He puts my feet in the stocks [to hinder and humiliate me]; He [suspiciously] watches all my paths,’ [you say]. “Look, let me answer you, in this you are not right or just; For God is greater and far superior to man. ¶“Why do you complain against Him? That He does not answer [you with] all His doings. “For God speaks once, And even twice, yet no one notices it [including you, Job]. “In a dream, a vision of the night [one may hear God’s voice], When deep sleep falls on men While slumbering upon the bed, Then He opens the ears of men And seals their instruction, That He may turn man aside from his conduct, And keep him from pride; He holds back his soul from the pit [of destruction], And his life from passing over into Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead). ¶“Man is also disciplined with pain on his bed, And with unceasing complaint in his bones, So that his life makes him loathe food, And his soul [loathe] even his favorite dishes. “His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen, And his bones which were not seen now stick out. “Then his soul draws near to the pit [of destruction], And his life to those who bring death (the destroyers).
Job 33:8-22 New Living Translation (NLT)
“You have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard your very words. You said, ‘I am pure; I am without sin; I am innocent; I have no guilt. God is picking a quarrel with me, and he considers me his enemy. He puts my feet in the stocks and watches my every move.’ “But you are wrong, and I will show you why. For God is greater than any human being. So why are you bringing a charge against him? Why say he does not respond to people’s complaints? For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it. He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds. He whispers in their ears and terrifies them with warnings. He makes them turn from doing wrong; he keeps them from pride. He protects them from the grave, from crossing over the river of death. “Or God disciplines people with pain on their sickbeds, with ceaseless aching in their bones. They lose their appetite for even the most delicious food. Their flesh wastes away, and their bones stick out. They are at death’s door; the angels of death wait for them.
Job 33:8-22 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
“Surely you have spoken in my ears, and I have heard the sound of your words. You say, ‘I am pure, without transgression; I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me. Behold, he finds occasions against me, he counts me as his enemy, he puts my feet in the stocks and watches all my paths.’ “Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you, for God is greater than man. Why do you contend against him, saying, ‘He will answer none of man’s words’? For God speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds, then he opens the ears of men and terrifies them with warnings, that he may turn man aside from his deed and conceal pride from a man; he keeps back his soul from the pit, his life from perishing by the sword. “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed and with continual strife in his bones, so that his life loathes bread, and his appetite the choicest food. His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out. His soul draws near the pit, and his life to those who bring death.