Job 32

Elihu

32So these three men stopped answering Job,^k because he was righteous in his own eyes.^{l 2}But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite,^m of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himselfⁿ rather than God.^{o 3}He was also angry with the three friends,^p because they had found no way to refute Job,^q and yet had condemned him.^{ar 4}Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he.^{s 5}But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused.

⁶So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said:

“I am young in years,

and you are old;^t

that is why I was fearful,

not daring to tell you what I know.

⁷I thought, ‘Age should speak;

advanced years should teach wisdom.’^u

⁸But it is the spirit^bv in a person,

the breath of the Almighty,^w that gives them understanding.^x

⁹It is not only the old^c who are wise,^y

not only the aged^z who understand what is right.^a

¹⁰“Therefore I say: Listen to me;^b

I too will tell you what I know.^c

¹¹I waited while you spoke,

I listened to your reasoning;

while you were searching for words,

¹²I gave you my full attention.

But not one of you has proved Job wrong;

none of you has answered his arguments.^d

¹³Do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;^e

let God, not a man, refute^f him.’

¹⁴But Job has not marshaled his words against me,^g

and I will not answer him with your arguments.

¹⁵“They are dismayed and have no more to say;

words have failed them.^h

¹⁶Must I wait, now that they are silent,

now that they stand there with no reply?

¹⁷I too will have my say;

I too will tell what I know.ⁱ

¹⁸For I am full of words,

and the spirit^j within me compels me;^k

¹⁹inside I am like bottled-up wine,

like new wineskins ready to burst.^l

²⁰I must speak and find relief;

I must open my lips and reply.^m

²¹I will show no partiality,ⁿ

nor will I flatter anyone;^o

²²for if I were skilled in flattery,

my Maker^p would soon take me away.^q