31 I have made a covenant with my eyes.n

How then could I look at a young woman?F,o

2 For what portionp would I have from God above,

or what inheritance from the Almighty on high?

3 Doesn’t disaster come to the unjust

and misfortune to evildoers?

4 Does he not see my ways

and number all my steps?q

5 If I have walked in falsehood

or my foot has rushed to deceit,

6 let God weigh me on accurate scales,r

and he will recognize my integrity.s

7 If my step has turned from the way,

my heart has followed my eyes,

or impurity has stained my hands,t

8 let someone else eat what I have sown,

and let my crops be uprooted.u

9 If my heart has gone astray over a woman

or I have lurked at my neighbor’s door,

10 let my own wife grind grain for another man,

and let other men sleep withG her.

11 For that would be a disgrace;

it would be an iniquity deserving punishment.v

12 For it is a fire that consumes down to Abaddon;

it would destroy my entire harvest.w

13 If I have dismissed the case of my male or female servants

when they made a complaint against me,

14 what could I do when God stands up to judge?

How should I answer him when he calls me to account?

15 Did not the one who made me in the womb also make them?

Did not the same God form us both in the womb?a

16 If I have refused the wishes of the poor

or let the widow’sb eyes go blind,

17 if I have eaten my few crumbs alone

without letting the fatherless eat any of it—

18 for from my youth, I raised him as his father,

and since the day I was bornA I guided the widow—

19 if I have seen anyone dying for lack of clothing

or a needy person without a cloak,c

20 if heB did not bless me

while warming himself with the fleece from my sheep,

21 if I ever cast my voteC against a fatherless child

when I saw that I had support in the city gate,d

22 then let my shoulder blade fall from my back,

and my arm be pulled from its socket.

23 For disaster from God terrifies me,

and because of his majesty I could not do these things.e

24 If I placed my confidence in gold

or called fine gold my trust,f

25 if I have rejoiced because my wealth is great

or because my own hand has acquired so much,

26 if I have gazed at the sun when it was shining

or at the moon moving in splendor,g

27 so that my heart was secretly enticed

and I threw them a kiss,D

28 this would also be an iniquity deserving punishment,

for I would have denied God above.

29 Have I rejoiced over my enemy’s distress,

or become excited when trouble came his way?

30 I have not allowed my mouth to sin

by asking for his life with a curse.

31 Haven’t the members of my household said,

“Who is there who has not had enough to eat at Job’s table?”

32 No stranger had to spend the night on the street,

for I opened my door to the traveler.

33 Have I covered my transgressionsh as others doE

by hiding my iniquity in my hearti

34 because I greatly feared the crowds

and because the contempt of the clans terrified me,

so I grew silent and would not go outside?

35 If only I had someone to hear my case!j

Here is my signature; let the Almighty answer me.

Let my Opponent compose his indictment.

36 I would surely carry it on my shoulder

and wear it like a crown.k

37 I would give him an account of all my steps;

I would approach him like a prince.

38 If my land cries out against me

and its furrows join in weeping,

39 if I have consumed its produce without payment

or shown contempt for its tenants,F

40 then let thornsl grow instead of wheat

and stinkweedm instead of barley.

The words of Job are concluded.

ELIHU’S ANGRY RESPONSE

32 So these three men quit answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.n 2 Then Elihu son of Barachel the Buziteo from the family of Ram became angry. He was angry at Job because he had justifiedp himself rather than God. 3 He was also angry at Job’s three friends because they had failed to refute him and yet had condemned him.G

4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were all older than he. 5 But when he saw that the three men could not answer Job, he became angry.

6 So Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite replied:

I am young in years,

while you are old;

therefore I was timid and afraid

to tella you what I know.

7 I thought that age should speak

and maturity should teach wisdom.

8 But it is the spirit in a person—

the breathb from the Almighty—

that gives anyone understanding.

9 It is not only the old who are wise

or the elderly who understand how to judge.

10 Therefore I say, “Listen to me.

I too will declare what I know.”

11 Look, I waited for your conclusions;

I listened to your insights

as you sought for words.

12 I paid close attention to you.

Yet no one proved Job wrong;

not one of you refuted his arguments.

13 So do not claim, “We have found wisdom;

let God deal with him, not man.”

14 But Job has not directed his argument to me,

and I will not respond to him with your arguments.

15 Job’s friends are dismayed and can no longer answer;

words have left them.

16 Should I continue to wait now that they are silent,

now that they stand there and no longer answer?

17 I too will answer;A

yes, I will tell what I know.

18 For I am full of words,

and my spiritB compels me to speak.c

19 My heartC is like unvented wine;

it is about to burst like new wineskins.d

20 I must speak so that I can find relief;

I must open my lips and respond.

21 I will be partial to no one,e

and I will not give anyone an undeserved title.

22 For I do not know how to give such titles;

otherwise, my Maker would remove me in an instant.

ELIHU CONFRONTS JOB

33 But now, Job, pay attention to my speech,

and listen to all my words.

2 I am going to open my mouth;

my tongue will form words on my palate.

3 My words come from my uprightf heart,

and my lips speak with sincerity what they know.

4 The Spirit of God has made me,

and the breath of the Almightyg gives me life.h

5 Refute me if you can.

Preparei your case against me; take your stand.j

6 I am just like you before God;

I was also pinched off from a piece of clay.k

7 Fearl of me should not terrify you;

no pressure from me should weigh you down.

8 Surely you have spoken in my hearing,

and I have heard these veryD words:

9 “I am pure, without transgression;

I am clean and have no iniquity.m

10 But he finds reasons to oppose me;

he regards me as his enemy.n

11 He puts my feet in the stocks;

he stands watcho over all my paths.”

12 But I tell you that you are wrong in this matter,

since God is greater than man.p

13 Why do you takeq him to court

for not answering anything a person asks?E

14 For God speaks time and again,

but a person may not notice it.

15 In a dream, a visionr in the night,

when deep sleep comes over peoples

as they slumber on their beds,

16 he uncovers their earst

and terrifies themF with warnings,

17 in order to turn a person from his actions

and suppress the pride of a person.

18 God spares his soul from the Pit,u

his life from crossing the river of death.G

19 A person may be disciplined on his bedv with pain

and constant distress in his bones,a

20 so that he detests bread,

and his soul despises his favorite food.b

21 His flesh wastes away to nothing,A

and his unseen bones stick out.

22 He draws near to the Pit,

and his life to the executioners.

23 If there is an angelc on his side,

one mediator out of a thousand,

to tell a person what is right for himB

24 and to be gracious to him and say,

“Spare him from going down to the Pit;

I have found a ransom,”d

25 then his flesh will be healthierC than in his youth,

and he will return to the days of his youthful vigor.e

26 He will pray to God, and God will delight in him.

That person will see his facef with a shout of joy,

and God will restore his righteousness to him.g

27 He will look at men and say,

“I have sinned and perverted what was right;

yet I did not get what I deserved.D

28 He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit,

and I will continue to see the light.”

29 God certainly does all these things

two or three times to a person

30 in order to turn him back from the Pit,

so he may shine with the light of life.h

31 Pay attention, Job, and listen to me.

Be quiet, and I will speak.

32 But if you have something to say,E answer me;

speak, for I would like to justify you.

33 If not, then listen to me;

be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.