32Because Job was convinced of his own innocence, the three men gave up trying to answer him. ²But a bystander named Elihu could not control his anger any longer, because Job was justifying himself and blaming God. (Elihu was the son of Barakel, a descendant of Buz, and belonged to the clan of Ram.) ³He was also angry with Job’s three friends. They could find no way to answer Job, and this made it appear that God was in the wrong. ⁴Because Elihu was the youngest one there, he had waited until everyone finished speaking. ⁵When he saw that the three men could not answer Job, he was angry ⁶and began to speak.

Elihu

I am young, and you are old,

so I was afraid to tell you what I think.

⁷I told myself that you ought to speak,

that you older men should share your wisdom.

⁸But it is the spirit of Almighty God

that comes to human beings and gives them wisdom.

⁹It is not growing old that makes people wise

or helps them to know what is right.

¹⁰So now I want you to listen to me;

let me tell you what I think.

¹¹I listened patiently while you were speaking

and waited while you searched for wise phrases.

¹²I paid close attention and heard you fail;

you have not disproved what Job has said.

¹³How can you claim you have discovered wisdom?

God must answer Job, for you have failed.

¹⁴Job was speaking to you, not to me, but I would never answer as you did.

¹⁵Words have failed them, Job;

they have no answer for you.

¹⁶Shall I go on waiting when they are silent?

They stand there with nothing more to say.

¹⁷No, I will give my own answer now

and tell you what I think.

¹⁸I can hardly wait to speak.

I can’t hold back the words.

¹⁹If I don’t get a chance to speak,

I will burst like a wineskin full of new wine.

²⁰I can’t stand it; I have to speak.

²¹I will not take sides in this debate;

I am not going to flatter anyone.

²²I don’t know how to flatter,

and God would quickly punish me if I did.

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