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Job 32:7–9

I said, ‘Let days speak,

and many years teach wisdom.’

But it is athe spirit in man,

bthe breath of the Almighty, that makes him cunderstand.

dIt is not the old1 who are wise,

nor the aged who understand what is right.

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Job 32:7–9 — The New International Version (NIV)

I thought, ‘Age should speak;

advanced years should teach wisdom.’

But it is the spirit in a person,

the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.

It is not only the old who are wise,

not only the aged who understand what is right.

Job 32:7–9 — King James Version (KJV 1900)

I said, Days should speak,

And multitude of years should teach wisdom.

But there is a spirit in man:

And the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

Great men are not always wise:

Neither do the aged understand judgment.

Job 32:7–9 — New Living Translation (NLT)

I thought, ‘Those who are older should speak,

for wisdom comes with age.’

But there is a spirit within people,

the breath of the Almighty within them,

that makes them intelligent.

Sometimes the elders are not wise.

Sometimes the aged do not understand justice.

Job 32:7–9 — The New King James Version (NKJV)

I said, ‘Age should speak,

And multitude of years should teach wisdom.’

But there is a spirit in man,

And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.

Great men are not always wise,

Nor do the aged always understand justice.

Job 32:7–9 — New Century Version (NCV)

I thought, ‘Older people should speak,

and those who have lived many years should teach wisdom.’

But it is the spirit in a person,

the breath of the Almighty, that gives understanding.

It is not just older people who are wise;

they are not the only ones who understand what is right.

Job 32:7–9 — American Standard Version (ASV)

I said, Days should speak,

And multitude of years should teach wisdom.

But there is a spirit in man,

And the breath of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

It is not the great that are wise,

Nor the aged that understand justice.

Job 32:7–9 — 1890 Darby Bible (DARBY)

I said, Let days speak, and multitude of years teach wisdom. But there is a spirit which is in man; and the breath of the Almighty giveth them understanding. It is not the great that are wise; neither do the aged understand judgment.

Job 32:7–9 — GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

I thought, ‘Age should speak, 

and experience should teach wisdom.’ 

However, there is in humans a Spirit, 

the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding. 

People do not become wise merely because they live long. 

They don’t understand what justice is merely because they’re old. 

Job 32:7–9 — The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

I thought that age should speak

and maturity should teach wisdom.

But it is a spirit in man

and the breath of the Almighty

that give him understanding.

It is not only the old who are wise

or the elderly who understand how to judge.

Job 32:7–9 — The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

I said, ‘Let days speak,

and many years teach wisdom.’

But truly it is the spirit in a mortal,

the breath of the Almighty, that makes for understanding.

It is not the old that are wise,

nor the aged that understand what is right.

Job 32:7–9 — The Lexham English Bible (LEB)

I thought, ‘Let days speak,

and let many years teach wisdom.’

“Truly, it is a spirit in a human being,

and the breath of Shaddai teaches them.

It is not the aged who are wise,

or it is not the elders who understand justice.

Job 32:7–9 — New International Reader’s Version (1998) (NIrV)

I thought, ‘Those who are older should speak first.

Those who have lived for many years

should teach people how to be wise.’

But the spirit in people gives them understanding.

The breath of the Mighty One gives them wisdom.

Older people aren’t the only ones who are wise.

They aren’t the only ones who understand what is right.

Job 32:7–9 — New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (NASB95)

“I thought age should speak,

And increased years should teach wisdom.

“But it is a spirit in man,

And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.

“The abundant in years may not be wise,

Nor may elders understand justice.


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