Job 32-33

Common English Bible

Introduction of Elihu

32 These three men stopped answering Job because he thought he was righteous.^[a] ²Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite from the clan of Ram was angry, angry with Job because he considered himself more righteous than God. ³He was also angry with his three friends because they hadn’t found an answer but nevertheless thought Job wicked. ⁴Elihu had waited while Job spoke, for they were older than he. ⁵When Elihu saw that there had been no response in the speeches of the three men, he became very angry.

Elihu’s justification for speaking

⁶Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite said:
I’m young and you’re old,
    so I held back, afraid to express my opinion to you.
⁷I thought, Let days speak;
    let multiple years make wisdom known.
⁸But the spirit in a person,
    the Almighty’s breath, gives understanding.
⁹The advanced in days aren’t wise;
    the old don’t understand what’s right.
¹⁰Therefore, I say: “Listen to me;
    I’ll state my view, even I.”
¹¹Look, I waited while you spoke,
    listened while you reasoned,
    while you searched for words.
¹²I was attentive to you,
    but you offered no rebuke to Job,
    no answer from you for his words.
¹³Be careful you don’t say, “We’ve found wisdom;
    God, not a person, will defeat him.”

¹⁴Now Job^[b] hasn’t addressed me,
    and I won’t quote you to him.
¹⁵They are troubled, no longer answer;
    words now escape them.
¹⁶I waited, but they didn’t speak,
    for they stood but answered no more.
¹⁷I will answer. Indeed, I will state^[c] my piece;
    I too will declare my view,
¹⁸        for I’m full of words.
The spirit in my belly compels me.
¹⁹    Look, my belly is like unopened wine;
        like new wineskins it will burst.
²⁰I will speak and get relief;
    I will open my lips and respond.
²¹I won’t be partial to anyone,
        won’t flatter a person;
²²        for I don’t know flattery;
    otherwise my maker would quickly whisk me away.

Elihu’s appeal to be heard

33 But now, listen to me, Job;
        pay attention to all my words.
²Notice that I am opening my mouth;
    my tongue is speaking in my mouth.^[d]
³My words come from a virtuous heart;
    my lips speak knowledge clearly.
⁴God’s spirit made me;
    the Almighty’s breath enlivens me.
⁵If you are able, answer me;
    lay out your case^[e] before me and take a stand.
⁶Notice that I’m just like you to God;
    I also was pinched from clay.
⁷Surely fear of me shouldn’t scare you;
    my pressure on you shouldn’t be heavy.

The argument

⁸You certainly said in my hearing;
    I heard the sound of your words:
⁹    “I’m pure, without sin;
        I’m innocent, without offense.
¹⁰    Notice that he invents arguments against me;
        he considers me his enemy,
¹¹        ties up my feet,
        watches all my paths.”
¹²Now you’re wrong about this; I’ll answer you,
    for God is greater than anybody.
¹³Why do you contend with him,
    saying that he doesn’t answer all your words?^[f]
¹⁴God speaks in one way,
    in two ways, but no one perceives it.
¹⁵In the dream, a vision of the night,
    when deep sleep falls upon humans,
        during their slumber on a bed,
¹⁶    then he opens people’s ears,
        scares them with warnings,
¹⁷    to turn them from a deed
        and to smother human pride.
¹⁸He keeps one from the pit,
    a life from perishing by the sword.
¹⁹Or a person may be disciplined by pain
    while in bed, bones ever aching
²⁰    until a person loathes food,
        an appetite rejects a delicacy;
²¹    the flesh wastes away, no longer visible;
        the bones, once hidden, protrude.
²²A life approaches the pit;
    its very being draws near the death dealers.
²³Surely there’s a messenger for this person,
    a mediator, one out of a thousand
    to declare one’s integrity to another
²⁴    so that God has compassion on that person and says,
        “Rescue this one from going down to the pit;
        I have found a ransom.”
²⁵That person’s flesh is renewed like a child’s;
    they regain their youth.
²⁶They pray to God, and God is pleased with them;
    they behold God’s presence
    with a joyful shout.
God rewards a person’s righteousness.
²⁷    They sing before people and say:
    “I have sinned, perverted justice,
    but didn’t experience the consequences.
²⁸He ransomed me from crossing into the pit;
    my life beholds light.”
²⁹Look, God does all this,
        twice, three times with persons
³⁰    to bring them back from the pit,
        to shine with life’s light.
³¹Listen, Job; hear me;
    be quiet, and I will speak.
³²If you have words, answer me;
    speak, for I want to be innocent.
³³If not, you must hear me;
    be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.