Job 32

English Standard Version

Elihu Rebukes Job's Three Friends

32 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was ^(A)righteous in his own eyes. ²Then Elihu the son of Barachel ^(B)the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself ^(C)rather than God. ³He burned with anger also at Job's three friends because they had found no answer, although they had ^(D)declared Job to be in the wrong. ⁴Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. ⁵And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger.

⁶And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said:

“I am young in years,
    and you are ^(E)aged;
therefore I was timid and afraid
    to declare my opinion to you.
⁷I said, ‘Let days speak,
    and many years teach wisdom.’
⁸But it is ^(F)the spirit in man,
    ^(G)the breath of the Almighty, that makes him ^(H)understand.
⁹^(I)It is not the old^[a] who are wise,
    nor the aged who understand what is right.
¹⁰Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;
    let me also declare my opinion.’

¹¹“Behold, I waited for your words,
    I listened for your wise sayings,
    while you searched out what to say.
¹²I gave you my attention,
    and, behold, there was none among you who refuted Job
    or who answered his words.
¹³Beware ^(J)lest you say, ‘We have found wisdom;
    God may vanquish him, not a man.’
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 shall I wait, because they do not speak,
    because they stand there, and answer no more?
¹⁷I also will answer with my share;
    I also will declare my opinion.
¹⁸For I am full of words;
    the spirit within me constrains me.
¹⁹Behold, my belly is like wine that has no vent;
    like new ^(K)wineskins ready to burst.
²⁰^(L)I must speak, that I may find ^(M)relief;
    I must open my lips and answer.
²¹I will not ^(N)show partiality to any man
    or use flattery toward any person.
²²For I do not know how to flatter,
    else my Maker would soon take me away.