Job 32
Wycliffe Bible
32 Forsooth these three men left off to answer Job, for he seemed a just man to them. (And then these three men gave up trying to answer Job, for he continued to see himself as a righteous, or an innocent, man.)
2 And Elihu, the son of Barachel (the) Buzite, of the kindred of Ram, was wroth, and had indignation; and he was wroth against Job, for he said himself to be just before God (and he was angry against Job, for he had said himself to be righteous before God).
3 And also Elihu had indignation against the three friends of Job, for they had found no reasonable answer, but only had condemned Job (but had only condemned Job).
4 Therefore Elihu abode Job speaking, for they, that spake, were elder men. (And so Elihu waited for Job to finish speaking, for all those, who spoke, were older than he was.)
5 But when he had seen, that these three men might not answer Job, he was wroth greatly (he was very angry).
6 And Elihu, the son of Barachel (the) Buzite, answered, and said, I am younger in time, and ye be elder; therefore with head holden down, I dreaded to show to you my sentence. (And Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered, and said, I am younger in age, and ye be older; and so with my face cast down, I feared to tell you my thinking.)
7 For I hoped that [the] longer age should speak, and that the multitude of years should teach wisdom.
8 But as I see now, a spirit is in men, and the inspiration, either revelation, of Almighty God giveth understanding.
9 Men of long life be not (always) wise, and eld men understand not doom. (Men of long life do not always be wise, nor do old men always have judgement, or know what is right.)
10 Therefore I shall say, Hear ye me, and I also shall show my knowing to you. (And so I say, Listen ye to me, and I shall show my knowledge to you.)
11 For I abode your words, I heard your prudence, as long as ye disputed in your words. (For I waited on your words, and I listened to your thinking, for as long as ye disputed with your words.)
12 And as long as I guessed you to say anything, I beheld; but as I perceive, there is none of you, that may reprove Job, and answer to his words; (And for as long as I thought, that any of you had something of value to say, I listened; but now I perceive, that none of you can rebuke Job, or make an answer to his words;)
13 lest peradventure ye say, We have found wisdom; God, and not man, hath cast him away. (lest perhaps ye say, We have found wisdom; but it is God who hath thrown him away, and not man.)
14 Job spake nothing to me, and I not by your words shall answer him. (Job spoke to you, and said nothing to me, but I shall not shall answer him with words like yours.)
15 They [much] dreaded, and answered no more, and took away speech from themselves. (For, Job, they be afraid, and have no more answers, and nothing left to say.)
16 Therefore since I abode, and they spake not, they stood, and answered no more; (And so, since I waited, and now they speak no more, but stand silent, and have no more answers,)
17 also I shall answer my part, and I shall show my knowing. (now I shall state my part, and I shall say what I think.)
18 For I am full of words, and the spirit of my womb, that is, (my) mind, constraineth me.
19 Lo! my womb is as must without (a) spigot/without (a) faucet, either a venting, that bursteth new vessels.
20 I shall speak, and (then) breathe again a little; I shall open my lips, and I shall answer (you).
21 I shall not take the person of a man, and I shall not make God even to man. (I shall not show favour to anyone, and I shall not make God equal to people.)
22 For I know not how long I shall abide alive, and if my Maker will take me away after a little time.
Job 32
Expanded Bible
Elihu Speaks
32 These three men stopped trying to answer Job, because he was ·so sure he was right [right/righteous in his own eyes]. 2 But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, from the family of Ram, became very angry with Job, because Job ·claimed he was right instead of [or he was more right/righteous than] God. 3 Elihu was also angry with Job’s three friends who had no answer to show that Job was wrong, yet continued to ·blame him [treat him as wrong]. 4 Elihu had waited before speaking to Job, because the three friends were older than he was. 5 But when Elihu saw that the three men had nothing more to say, he became very angry.
6 So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said this:
“I am young,
and you are ·old [aged].
That is why I was ·afraid [L timid and afraid]
to tell you ·what I know [my opinion].
7 I thought, ‘·Older people should [L Let days] speak,
and those who have lived many years should ·teach [make known; reveal] wisdom.’
8 But it is the spirit in a person,
the breath of ·the Almighty [Shaddai], that gives understanding.
9 It is not just ·older people [L the many] who are wise;
·they [L the elders] are not the only ones who understand ·what is right [justice].
10 So I say, listen to me.
I too will ·tell [show] you ·what I know [my opinion].
11 I waited ·while you three spoke [L for your words],
and ·listened [bent an ear] to your ·explanations [or arguments].
While you ·looked for words to use,
12 I paid close attention to you.
But not one of you has proved Job wrong;
none of you has answered his arguments.
13 Don’t say, ‘We have found wisdom;
only God will show Job to be wrong, not people.’
14 Job has not spoken his words against me,
so I will not use your arguments to answer Job.
15 “·These three friends [L They] are ·defeated [dismayed; discouraged] and ·have no more to say [cannot answer];
words have failed them.
16 Now they are standing there with no answers for Job.
·Now that they are quiet [L If they don’t speak], must I wait to speak?
17 No, I too will speak
and ·tell what I know [share my opinion].
18 I am full of words,
and the spirit in me ·causes me to speak [compels me].
19 I am like wine that has ·been bottled up [no vent/opening];
I am ready to burst like a new leather wine bag.
20 I must speak so I will feel relief;
I must open my ·mouth [L lips] and answer.
21 I will ·be fair to everyone [L not favor anyone]
and not flatter anyone.
22 I don’t know how to flatter,
and if I did, my Maker would quickly take me away.
2001 by Terence P. Noble
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.