Job 32:7–13

7 I thought, ‘Age should speak;

advanced years should teach wisdom.’

8 But it is the spirit in a person,

the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.

9 It is not only the old who are wise,

not only the aged who understand what is right.

10 “Therefore I say: Listen to me;

I too will tell you what I know.

11 I waited while you spoke,

I listened to your reasoning;

while you were searching for words,

12 I gave you my full attention.

But not one of you has proved Job wrong;

none of you has answered his arguments.

13 Do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;

let God, not a man, refute him.’

7 I said, Days should speak,

And multitude of years should teach wisdom.

8 But there is a spirit in man:

And the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

9 Great men are not always wise:

Neither do the aged understand judgment.

10 Therefore I said, Hearken to me;

I also will shew mine opinion.

11 Behold, I waited for your words;

I gave ear to your reasons,

Whilst ye searched out what to say.

12 Yea, I attended unto you,

And, behold, there was none of you that convinced Job,

Or that answered his words:

13 Lest ye should say, We have found out wisdom:

God thrusteth him down, not man.

7 I thought, ‘Those who are older should speak,

for wisdom comes with age.’

8 But there is a spirit within people,

the breath of the Almighty within them,

that makes them intelligent.

9 Sometimes the elders are not wise.

Sometimes the aged do not understand justice.

10 So listen to me,

and let me tell you what I think.

11 “I have waited all this time,

listening very carefully to your arguments,

listening to you grope for words.

12 I have listened,

but not one of you has refuted Job

or answered his arguments.

13 And don’t tell me, ‘He is too wise for us.

Only God can convince him.’

7 I said, ‘Age should speak,

And multitude of years should teach wisdom.’

8 But there is a spirit in man,

And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.

9 Great men are not always wise,

Nor do the aged always understand justice.

10 “Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me,

I also will declare my opinion.’

11 Indeed I waited for your words,

I listened to your reasonings, while you searched out what to say.

12 I paid close attention to you;

And surely not one of you convinced Job,

Or answered his words—

13 Lest you say,

‘We have found wisdom’;

God will vanquish him, not man.

7 I thought, ‘Older people should speak,

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

8 But it is the spirit in a person,

the breath of the Almighty, that gives understanding.

9 It is not just older people who are wise;

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

10 So I say, listen to me.

I too will tell you what I know.

11 I waited while you three spoke,

and listened to your explanations.

While you looked for words to use,

12 I paid close attention to you.

But not one of you has proved Job wrong;

none of you has answered his arguments.

13 Don’t say, ‘We have found wisdom;

only God will show Job to be wrong, not people.’

7 I said, Days should speak,

And multitude of years should teach wisdom.

8 But there is a spirit in man,

And the breath of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

9 It is not the great that are wise,

Nor the aged that understand justice.

10 Therefore I said, Hearken to me;

I also will show mine opinion.

11 Behold, I waited for your words,

I listened for your reasonings,

Whilst ye searched out what to say.

12 Yea, I attended unto you,

And, behold, there was none that convinced Job,

Or that answered his words, among you.

13 Beware lest ye say, We have found wisdom;

God may vanquish him, not man:

7 I said, Let days speak, and multitude of years teach wisdom. 8 But there is a spirit which is in man; and the breath of the Almighty giveth them understanding. 9 It is not the great that are wise; neither do the aged understand judgment. 10 Therefore I say, Hearken to me; I also will shew what I know. 11 Lo, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasonings, until ye searched out what to say. 12 Yea, I gave you mine attention, and behold, there was none of you that confuted Job, that answered his words; 13 That ye may not say, We have found out wisdom; •God will make him yield, not man.

7 I thought, ‘Age should speak, 

and experience should teach wisdom.’ 

8 However, there is in humans a Spirit, 

the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding. 

9 People do not become wise merely because they live long. 

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

10 “That is why I say, ‘Listen to me! 

Let me tell you what I know.’ 

11 I waited for you to speak. 

I listened for you to share your understanding 

until you could find the right words. 

12 I’ve paid close attention to you, 

but none of you refuted Job. 

None of you has an answer to what he says. 

13 So don’t say, ‘We’ve found wisdom. 

Let God, not humans, defeat him.’ 

7 I thought that age should speak

and maturity should teach wisdom.

8 But it is a spirit in man

and the breath of the Almighty

that give him understanding.

9 It is not only the old who are wise

or the elderly who understand how to judge.

10 Therefore I say, “Listen to me.

I too will declare what I know.”

11 Look, I waited for your conclusions;

I listened to your insights

as you sought for words.

12 I paid close attention to you.

Yet no one proved Job wrong;

not one of you refuted his arguments.

13 So do not claim, “We have found wisdom;

let God deal with him, not man.”

7 I said, ‘Let days speak

and many years teach wisdom.’

8 But truly it is the spirit in a mortal,

the breath of the Almighty that makes for understanding.

9 It is not the old who are wise

nor the aged who understand what is right.

10 Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;

let me also declare my opinion.’

11 “See, I waited for your words;

I listened for your wise sayings

while you searched out what to say.

12 I gave you my attention,

but there was, in fact, no one who confuted Job,

no one among you who answered his words.

13 Yet do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;

God may vanquish him, not a human.’

7 I thought, ‘Let days speak,

and let many years teach wisdom.’

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

and the breath of Shaddai teaches them.

9 It is not the aged who are wise,

or it is not the elders who understand justice.

10 Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;

let me also declare my knowledge myself.’

11 “Look, I waited for your words;

I listened for your insight,

until you searched out what to say.

12 And I directed my attention to you;

and, look, there is no one for Job who refuted,

answering his words among you.

13 So do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;

let God refute him, not a man.’

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

Those who have lived for many years

should teach people how to be wise.’

8 But the spirit in people gives them understanding.

The breath of the Mighty One gives them wisdom.

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

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

10 “So I’m saying you should listen to me.

I’ll tell you what I know.

11 I waited while you men spoke.

I listened to your reasoning.

While you were searching for words,

12 I paid careful attention to you.

But not one of you has proved that Job is wrong.

None of you has answered his arguments.

13 Don’t claim, ‘We have enough wisdom to answer Job.’

Let God, not a mere man, prove that he’s wrong.

7 “I thought age should speak,

And increased years should teach wisdom.

8 “But it is a spirit in man,

And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.

9 “The abundant in years may not be wise,

Nor may elders understand justice.

10 “So I say, ‘Listen to me,

I too will tell what I think.’

11 “Behold, I waited for your words,

I listened to your reasonings,

While you pondered what to say.

12 “I even paid close attention to you;

Indeed, there was no one who refuted Job,

Not one of you who answered his words.

13 “Do not say,

‘We have found wisdom;

God will rout him, not man.’