← Contents Job · CHAPTER 32

CHAPTER 32

1And these three men left off answering Job because he was right in his own eyes. 2And   Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite from the clan of Ram flared up in anger, against Job his anger flared, for his claiming to be in the right more than God. 3And against his three com panions his anger flared because they had not found an answer that showed Job guilty. 4And Elihu   waited out Job’s words, for they were his elders. 5And Elihu saw that the three men   could utter no answer, and his anger flared.

6And Elihu the son of Barachel spoke up and he said:

                I am young in years,

                    and you are aged.

                Therefore was I awed and feared

                    to speak my mind with you.

                7I thought, Let years speak,

                    and let great age make wisdom known.

                8Yet it is a spirit in man,

                    and Shaddai’s breath that grants discernment.

                9It is not the elders who are wise

                    nor the aged who understand judgment.

                10Therefore do I say, O listen to me,

                    I, too, will speak my mind.

                11Look, I have waited for your speech,

                    hearkened to your understandings,

                          while you tested words.

                12And I attended to you,

                    and, look, Job has no refuter,

                          none to answer his talk among you.

                13Should you say, “We have found wisdom—

                    God will confound him, not man,”

                14he has not made his brief to me,

                    and with your words I would not answer him.

                15they take fright, they no longer respond,

                    words leave them in the lurch—

                16I waited, for they did not speak,

                    for they stood and no longer

                17I, too, will speak out my part,

                    I will speak my mind, I, too.

                18For I am full up with words,

                    the wind in my belly constrains me.

                19Look, my belly is like unopened wine,

                    like new wineskins it bursts.

                20Let me speak that I may be eased,

                    let me open my lips and speak out.

                21I will show favor to no man,

                    nor flatter any person.

                22For if I knew how to flatter,

                    my Maker would soon take me away.