Job 32:6–14

And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said:

“I am young in years,

and you are aged;

therefore I was timid and afraid

to declare my opinion to you.

I said, ‘Let days speak,

and many years teach wisdom.’

But it is the spirit in man,

the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.

It is not the old who are wise,

nor the aged who understand what is right.

Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;

let me also declare my opinion.’

“Behold, I waited for your words,

I listened for your wise sayings,

while you searched out what to say.

I gave you my attention,

and, behold, there was none among you who refuted Job

or who answered his words.

Beware lest you say, ‘We have found wisdom;

God may vanquish him, not a man.’

He has not directed his words against me,

and I will not answer him with your speeches.

So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said:

“I am young in years,

and you are old;

that is why I was fearful,

not daring to tell you what I know.

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.

“Therefore I say: Listen to me;

I too will tell you what I know.

I waited while you spoke,

I listened to your reasoning;

while you were searching for words,

I gave you my full attention.

But not one of you has proved Job wrong;

none of you has answered his arguments.

Do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;

let God, not a man, refute him.’

But Job has not marshaled his words against me,

and I will not answer him with your arguments.

So Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite replied:

I am young in years,

while you are old;

therefore I was timid and afraid

to tell you what I know.

I thought that age should speak

and maturity should teach wisdom.

But it is the spirit in a person—

the breath from the Almighty—

that gives anyone understanding.

It is not only the old who are wise

or the elderly who understand how to judge.

Therefore I say, “Listen to me.

I too will declare what I know.”

Look, I waited for your conclusions;

I listened to your insights

as you sought for words.

I paid close attention to you.

Yet no one proved Job wrong;

not one of you refuted his arguments.

So do not claim, “We have found wisdom;

let God deal with him, not man.”

But Job has not directed his argument to me,

and I will not respond to him with your arguments.

Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said,

“I am young and you are old,

so I held back from telling you what I think.

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.

So listen to me,

and let me tell you what I think.

“I have waited all this time,

listening very carefully to your arguments,

listening to you grope for words.

I have listened,

but not one of you has refuted Job

or answered his arguments.

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

Only God can convince him.’

If Job had been arguing with me,

I would not answer with your kind of logic!

Then Elihu the son of Barakel the Buzite spoke up and said,

“I am young, but you are old;

therefore I feared and became afraid of explaining my knowledge to you.

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.

Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;

let me also declare my knowledge myself.’

“Look, I waited for your words;

I listened for your insight,

until you searched out what to say.

And I directed my attention to you;

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

answering his words among you.

So do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;

let God refute him, not a man.’

But he did not direct his words to me,

and I will not answer him with your words.

And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said,

I am young, and ye are very old;

Wherefore I was afraid, and durst not shew you mine opinion.

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.

Therefore I said, Hearken to me;

I also will shew mine opinion.

Behold, I waited for your words;

I gave ear to your reasons,

Whilst ye searched out what to say.

Yea, I attended unto you,

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

Or that answered his words:

Lest ye should say, We have found out wisdom:

God thrusteth him down, not man.

Now he hath not directed his words against me:

Neither will I answer him with your speeches.