Job 32

New International Version

Elihu

32 So these three men stopped answering Job,^(A) because he was righteous in his own eyes.^(B) ²But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite,^(C) of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself^(D) rather than God.^(E) ³He was also angry with the three friends,^(F) because they had found no way to refute Job,^(G) and yet had condemned him.^[a]^(H) ⁴Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he.^(I) ⁵But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused.

⁶So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said:

“I am young in years,
    and you are old;^(J)
that is why I was fearful,
    not daring to tell you what I know.
⁷I thought, ‘Age should speak;
    advanced years should teach wisdom.’^(K)
⁸But it is the spirit^[b]^(L) in a person,
    the breath of the Almighty,^(M) that gives them understanding.^(N)
⁹It is not only the old^[c] who are wise,^(O)
    not only the aged^(P) who understand what is right.^(Q)

¹⁰“Therefore I say: Listen to me;^(R)
    I too will tell you what I know.^(S)
¹¹I waited while you spoke,
    I listened to your reasoning;
while you were searching for words,
¹²    I gave you my full attention.
But not one of you has proved Job wrong;
    none of you has answered his arguments.^(T)
¹³Do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;^(U)
    let God, not a man, refute^(V) him.’
¹⁴But Job has not marshaled his words against me,^(W)
    and I will not answer him with your arguments.

¹⁵“They are dismayed and have no more to say;
    words have failed them.^(X)
¹⁶Must I wait, now that they are silent,
    now that they stand there with no reply?
¹⁷I too will have my say;
    I too will tell what I know.^(Y)
¹⁸For I am full of words,
    and the spirit^(Z) within me compels me;^(AA)
¹⁹inside I am like bottled-up wine,
    like new wineskins ready to burst.^(AB)
²⁰I must speak and find relief;
    I must open my lips and reply.^(AC)
²¹I will show no partiality,^(AD)
    nor will I flatter anyone;^(AE)
²²for if I were skilled in flattery,
    my Maker^(AF) would soon take me away.^(AG)

Footnotes

Job 32:3 Masoretic Text; an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition Job, and so had condemned God
Job 32:8 Or Spirit; also in verse 18
Job 32:9 Or many; or great