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Now, I open my mouth; My tongue speaks in my mouth.
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My words come from my upright heart; My lips utter pure knowledge.
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The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
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If you can answer me, Set your words in order before me; Take your stand.
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Truly I am as your spokesman before God; I also have been formed out of clay.
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Surely no fear of me will terrify you, Nor will my hand be heavy on you.
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"Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words, saying,
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'I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent, and there is no iniquity in me.
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Yet He finds occasions against me, He counts me as His enemy;
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He puts my feet in the stocks, He watches all my paths.'
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"Look, in this you are not righteous. I will answer you, For God is greater than man.
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Why do you contend with Him? For He does not give an accounting of any of His words.
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For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it.
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In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds,
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Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction.
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In order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man,
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He keeps back his soul from the Pit, And his life from perishing by the sword.
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"Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, And with strong pain in many of his bones,
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So that his life abhors bread, And his soul succulent food.
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His flesh wastes away from sight, And his bones stick out which once were not seen.
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Yes, his soul draws near the Pit, And his life to the executioners.
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"If there is a messenger for him, A mediator, one among a thousand, To show man His uprightness,
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Then He is gracious to him, and says, 'Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom';
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His flesh shall be young like a child's, He shall return to the days of his youth.
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He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, For He restores to man His righteousness.
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Then he looks at men and says, 'I have sinned, and perverted what was right, And it did not profit me.'
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He will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit, And his life shall see the light.
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"Behold, God works all these things, Twice, in fact, three times with a man,
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To bring back his soul from the Pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of life.
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"Give ear, Job, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will speak.
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If you have anything to say, answer me; Speak, for I desire to justify you.
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If not, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom."