Job 32–42
32 So these three men ceased †to answer Job, because he was arighteous in his own eyes. 2 Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel bthe Buzite, of the kindred of bRam: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified †himself crather than God. 3 Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had dcondemned Job. 4 Now Elihu had †waited till Job had spoken, because they were †elder than he. 5 When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled.
6 And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said,
I am †young, and ye are every old;
Wherefore I was afraid, and †durst not eeshew you mine fopinion.
And multitude of years should teach wisdom.
8 But there is ga spirit in man:
And hthe ginspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
9 iGreat men are not always wise:
kNeither do the aged understand judgment.
10 Therefore I said, Hearken to me;
I also will shew mine fopinion.
11 Behold, I waited for your words;
I gave ear to your †reasons,
Whilst ye searched out †what to say.
12 Yea, I lattended 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 mthrusteth him down, not man.
14 Now he hath not ||directed his words against me:
Neither will I answer him with your speeches.
15 They were amazed, they answered no more:
†They left off speaking.
16 When I had waited, (for they spake not,
But stood still, and answered no more;)
17 nI said, I will answer also my part,
I also owill shew mine fopinion.
18 For I am full of †matter,
†The spirit within me constraineth me.
19 Behold, my belly is as wine which †hath no vent;
It is ready to burst like pnew bottles.
20 I will speak, †that I may be refreshed:
I will open my lips and answer.
21 Let me not, I pray you, qaccept any man’s person,
Neither let me rgive flattering titles unto man.
22 For I know not rto give flattering titles;
In so doing my maker would soon take me away.
33 Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches,
And hearken to all my words.
2 aBehold, now I have opened my mouth,
My tongue hath spoken †in my mouth.
3 bMy words shall be of the uprightness of my heart:
And my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.
4 The Spirit of God hath made me,
And cthe breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
5 If thou canst danswer me,
Set ethy words in order before me, stand up.
6 Behold, I am †according to thy wish in God’s stead:
I also am †formed out of fthe clay.
7 Behold, gmy terror shall not make thee afraid,
Neither shall hmy hand be heavy upon thee.
8 Surely thou hast spoken †in mine hearing,
And I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,
9 iI am clean jwithout transgression,
I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.
10 Behold, he findeth koccasions against me,
lHe counteth me for his enemy,
11 mHe putteth my feet in the stocks,
12 Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee,
That God is greater than man.
13 Why dost thou ostrive against him?
For †he giveth not account of any of his matters.
Yea twice, yet man pperceiveth it not.
15 qIn a dream, rin a vision of the night,
rWhen deep sleep falleth upon men,
In slumberings upon the bed;
16 Then †he openeth the ears of men,
And ssealeth their instruction,
17 That he may withdraw man from his †purpose,
And hide tpride from man.
18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit,
And his life †from perishing by uthe sword.
19 He is chastened also with pain upon his bed,
And the multitude of his bones with strong pain:
20 So that whis life abhorreth bread,
And his soul †dainty meat.
21 His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen;
And his bones that were not seen xstick out.
22 Yea, his ysoul draweth near unto the grave,
And his ylife to the destroyers.
23 If there be a zmessenger with him, an ainterpreter,
To shew unto man dhis uprightness:
24 Then he is gracious unto him, and saith,
Deliver him from going down to the pit:
25 fHis flesh shall be fresher †than a child’s:
He fshall return to the days of his youth:
26 He shall gpray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him:
And hhe shall see his face iwith joy:
For he will render unto man his righteousness.
27 ||He klooketh upon men, and if any lsay,
I mhave sinned, and mperverted that which was right,
And it profited me not;
28 ||He will deliver nhis soul from going into the pit,
And his life oshall see the light.
29 Lo, all these things worketh God
†Oftentimes with man,
30 pTo bring back his soul from the pit,
To be enlightened qwith the light of the living.
31 Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me:
Hold thy peace, and I will speak.
32 If thou hast any thing to say, ranswer me:
sSpeak, for I desire to justify thee.
Hold thy peace, and I shall tteach thee wisdom.
34 Furthermore Elihu aanswered and said,
2 Hear my words, O ye wise men;
And give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
3 bFor the ear trieth words,
As the †mouth tasteth meat.
4 cLet us choose to us judgment:
Let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job hath said, dI am righteous:
And eGod hath taken away my judgment.
6 fShould I lie against my right?
†My wound is incurable gwithout transgression.
hWho drinketh up scorning like water?
8 Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity,
And walketh with wicked men.
9 For ihe hath said, It kprofiteth a man nothing
That he should delight himself with God.
10 Therefore hearken unto me, ye †men of understanding:
lFar be it from God, mthat he should do wickedness;
And from the Almighty, nthat he should commit iniquity.
11 oFor the work of a man shall he render unto him,
And cause every man to find paccording to his ways.
12 Yea, surely God will not do wickedly,
Neither will qthe Almighty pervert judgment.
13 Who hath rgiven him a charge over the earth?
Or swho hath disposed †the whole world?
14 If he tset his heart †upon man,
If he ugather unto himself his vspirit and his breath;
15 All flesh shall uperish together,
And man uwshall turn again unto dust.
16 If now thou hast understanding, xhear this:
Hearken to the voice of my words.
17 yShall even he that hateth right †govern?
And wilt thou condemn him that is most just?
18 Is it fit zto say to a king, Thou art awicked?
And to princes, Ye are ungodly?
19 How much less to him that baccepteth not the persons of princes,
Nor regardeth the crich more than the poor?
For dthey all are the work of his hands.
20 eIn a moment shall they die,
And the people shall be troubled fat midnight, and pass away:
And †the mighty shall be taken away gwithout hand.
21 hFor his eyes are upon the ways of man,
And he seeth all his igoings.
22 kThere is no darkness, nor lshadow of death,
Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 For he will not lay upon man more than right;
That he should †enter into judgment with God.
24 He shall llbreak in pieces mighty men †without number,
And set mothers in their stead.
25 Therefore he knoweth their works,
And he noverturneth them oin the night, so that they are †destroyed.
26 He pstriketh them as wicked men
†In the open sight of others;
27 Because they turned back †from him,
And would not qconsider any of his ways:
28 So that they rcause the cry of the poor to come unto him,
And she heareth the cry of the afflicted.
29 When he tgiveth quietness, who then can make trouble?
And uwhen he hideth his face, who then can behold him?
Whether it be done against a nation,
Or against a man only:
30 That the hypocrite reign not,
Lest xthe people be ensnared.
31 Surely it is meet to be said unto God,
I yhave borne chastisement, I will not zoffend any more:
32 aThat which I see not teach thou me:
If I have done iniquity, I will do no more.
33 †Should it be according to thy mind? he will recompense it,
Whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I:
Therefore bspeak what thou knowest.
34 Let men †of understanding tell me,
And let a wise man hearken unto me.
35 Job hath spoken cwithout knowledge,
And his words were without wisdom.
36 ||My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end
Because of his answers for wicked men.
37 For he addeth rebellion unto his sin,
He clappeth dhis hands among us,
And multiplieth his words against God.
35 Elihu aspake moreover, and said, 2 Thinkest thou this to be right,
That thou saidst, bMy righteousness is more than God’s?
3 For thou saidst, cWhat advantage will it be unto thee?
And, dWhat profit shall I have, ||if I be cleansed from my sin?
4 †I will answer thee,
And ethy companions with thee.
5 fLook unto the heavens, and see;
And behold the clouds which are higher than thou.
6 If thou sinnest, gwhat doest thou against him?
Or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?
7 hIf thou be righteous, what givest thou him?
Or what receiveth he of thine hand?
8 Thy wickedness may hurt ia man as thou art;
And thy righteousness may profit ithe son of man.
9 By reason of the multitude of koppressions they lmake the oppressed to cry:
They lcry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.
10 But none saith, Where is God mmy maker,
nWho giveth songs oin the night;
11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth,
And maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?
12 There they cry, pbut none giveth answer,
Because of the pride of evil men.
13 Surely God will not hear vanity,
Neither will the Almighty qregard it.
14 Although thou sayest rthou shalt not see him,
Yet judgment is before him; therefore strust thou in him.
15 But now, because it is not so, ||he hath tvisited in his anger;
Yet ||he knoweth it not in great extremity:
16 Therefore doth Job uopen his mouth xin vain;
He ymultiplieth words zwithout knowledge.
36 Elihu also proceeded, and said,
2 Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee
†That I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.
3 I will fetch my aknowledge from afar,
And will ascribe righteousness to bmy Maker.
4 For truly my words shall not be false:
He that is cperfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not dany:
He is emighty in …