17. By turning mortals from actingand keeping pride away from a man,
18. He holds his soul from the pit,his life from passing to the grave.
19. Or he is chastened on a bed of pain,suffering continually in his bones,
20. So that to his appetite food is repulsive,his throat rejects the choicest nourishment.
21. His flesh is wasted, it cannot be seen;bones, once invisible, appear;
22. His soul draws near to the pit,his life to the place of the dead.
23. If then there be a divine messenger,a mediator, one out of a thousand,to show him what is right,
24. He will take pity on him and say,“Deliver him from going down to the pit;I have found him a ransom.”
25. Then his flesh shall become soft as a boy’s;he shall be again as in the days of his youth.
26. He shall pray and God will favor him;he shall see God’s face with rejoicing;for he restores a person’s righteousness.
27. He shall sing before all and say,“I sinned and did wrong,yet I was not punished accordingly.
28. He delivered me from passing to the pit,and my life sees light.”
29. See, all these things God does,two, even three times, for a man,
30. Bringing back his soul from the pitto the light, in the light of the living.
31. Be attentive, Job, listen to me!Be silent and I will speak.
32. If you have anything to say, then answer me.Speak out! I should like to see you justified.