Job 32

Elihu Rebukes Job’s Friends

³²So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.^{* 2}Then Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became angry. He was angry at Job because he justified himself rather than God;^{* 3}he was angry also at Job’s three friends because they had found no answer, though they had declared Job to be in the wrong.^{j* 4}Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. ⁵But when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouths of these three men, he became angry.

⁶Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite answered:

“I am young in years,

and you are aged;

therefore I was timid and afraid

to declare my opinion to you.^*

⁷I said, ‘Let days speak

and many years teach wisdom.’

⁸But truly it is the spirit in a mortal,

the breath of the Almighty^k that makes for understanding.^*

⁹It is not the old^l who are wise

nor the aged who understand what is right.^*

¹⁰Therefore 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.^*

¹²I gave you my attention,

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

no one among you who answered his words.

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

God may vanquish him, not a human.’^*

¹⁴He has not directed his words against me,

and I will not answer him with your speeches.

¹⁵“They are dismayed; they answer no more;

they have not a word to say.

¹⁶And am I to wait because they do not speak,

because they stand there and answer no more?

¹⁷I also will give my answer;

I also will declare my opinion.

¹⁸For I am full of words;

the spirit within me constrains me.^*

¹⁹My belly is indeed like wine that has no vent;

like new wineskins, it is ready to burst.^*

²⁰I must speak, so that I may find relief;

I must open my lips and answer.

²¹I will not show partiality to any person

or use flattery toward anyone.^*

²²For I do not know how to flatter—

or my Maker would soon put an end to me!^*