19Or a person may be disciplined on his bed by pain
and by continual agony in his bones,
20so that his life makes food disgusting to him,
and he has no appetite for delicious food.
21His flesh wastes away and disappears,
and his bones, which were hidden, now stick out.
22Then his soul draws near to destruction,
and his life to those who bring death.
23If there is a messenger at his side to mediate,
one out of a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him,
24if he is gracious to him,
if he says, “Spare him from going down to the pit.
I have found a ransom for him,”
25then his flesh would become vigorous than it was in his youth.
He would return to days of youthful vitality.
26Then he would pray to God,
and God would be pleased with him.
With a joyful cry he would see God's face,
and God would restore his righteousness to the man.
27Then the man would turn to people and say,[] “I have sinned, and I have perverted what is right,
yet I was not punished as much as I deserved.
28God has redeemed my soul from passing into the pit,
and my life will see the light.”
29Look, God does all these things with a man—
two times, or even three times—
30to bring back his soul from the pit,
so that light shines on him among the living.
31Pay attention, Job. Listen to me.
Be silent, so that I may speak.
32If you have anything to say, answer me.
Speak up, for I would be delighted to declare you innocent.
33If you have nothing to say, listen to me.
Be silent, so I may teach you wisdom.
341Elihu resumed[] his speech and said: 2Hear my words, you wise men.
You learned men, pay attention to me.
3It is true that the ear tests words as the palate tastes food.
4So now we should choose for ourselves what is just.
We should determine among ourselves what is good.
5This is what Job said:
“I am in the right,
but God has deprived me of justice.
6Would I lie about what is just for me?[] His arrow has inflicted an incurable wound on me,
though I did not rebel.”
7Who is like Job?
He drinks down derision against God like water.
8He travels the road with evildoers,
and he walks with wicked men,
9because he said,
“It is no benefit to a man when he takes pleasure in God.”
