God speaks to Men through Pain and Sickness

19 Or on bed of pain he is chastened,

And all his bones are benumbed.

20 His soul has a loathing of bread,

And the daintiest food he abhorreth.

21 His flesh is lean and wasted;

His bones are all but bare.

22 His soul draweth nigh to the pit,

And his life to the angels of death.

23 Then over him there is an angel

Interpreter, one of a thousand,

Who expounds unto man his chastisement,

24 Takes pity on him and says:

Let him not go down to the pit:

I have found (for his soul) a ransom."

25 Then his flesh becomes fresher than child’s,

He returns to the days of his youth.

26 He prays unto God with acceptance,

He looks on His face with joy,

Tells the story of his salvation,

27 And sings before men this song:

"I have sinned and perverted the right,

Yet He hath not requited my sin.

28 He hath ransomed my soul from the pit,

That alive I behold the light."

29 See! all these things God doeth,

Twice, yea thrice, with a man,

30 To bring back his soul from the pit,

With the light of life’s sunshine upon him.

31 Be attentive, Job, listen to me;

Be thou silent, and I will speak.

32 If aught thou canst say, then answer me:

Speak, for my wish is to clear thee.

33 But if not, listen thou unto me:

Be silent, while I teach thee wisdom.

34 Then Elihu went on:

2 Listen, ye wise, to my words,

And give ear to me, ye that have knowledge.

3 For the ear is the tester of words

As the palate the taster of food.

4 Let us choose for ourselves what is good.

Recognise by ourselves what is good.

5 For Job claimeth to be in the right:

"God," he says, "hath deprived me of justice.

6 Though right, I am counted a liar;

And though sinless, He wounds me past healing."

7 Where is the man like Job

That drinketh up scorning like water,

8 That leagues with the workers of wrong,

And that walketh with wicked men?

9 For he saith that a mn hath no profit

From being the friend of God.