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Job 32-34
Darby Translation
Job 32-34
Darby Translation
32 And these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
2 Then was kindled the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel, the Buzite, of the family of Ram: against Job was his anger kindled, because he justified himself rather than God;
3 and against his three friends was his anger kindled, because they found no answer, and [yet] condemned Job.
4 But Elihu had waited till Job had finished speaking, because they were older than he.
5 And Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, and his anger was kindled.
6 And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are aged; wherefore I was timid, and feared to shew you what I know.
7 I said, Let days speak, and multitude of years teach wisdom.
8 But there is a spirit which is in man; and the breath of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
9 It is not the great that are wise; neither do the aged understand judgment.
10 Therefore I say, Hearken to me; I also will shew what I know.
11 Lo, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasonings, until ye searched out what to say.
12 Yea, I gave you mine attention, and behold, there was none of you that confuted Job, that answered his words;
13 That ye may not say, We have found out wisdom; God will make him yield, not man.
14 Now he hath not directed [his] words against me; and I will not answer him with your speeches. …
15 They were amazed, they answered no more; words failed them.
16 And I waited, for they spoke not, but stood still, and answered no more;—
17 I will answer, I also in my turn, I also will shew what I know:
18 For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constraineth me.
19 Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; like new flasks, it is ready to burst.
20 I will speak, that I may find relief; I will open my lips and answer.
21 Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person; neither will I give flattery to man.
22 For I know not how to flatter; my Maker would soon take me away.
33 Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear mine utterances, and hearken to all my words.
2 Behold now, I have opened my mouth, my tongue speaketh in my palate,
3 My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart, and my lips shall utter knowledge purely.
4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
5 If thou canst, answer me; array [thy words] before me: take thy stand.
6 Behold, before God I am as thou; I also am formed out of the clay.
7 Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, nor my burden be heavy upon thee.
8 Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of [thy] words:—
9 I am clean without transgression; I am pure, and there is no iniquity in me;
10 Lo, he findeth occasions of hostility against me, he counteth me for his enemy;
11 He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.
12 Behold, I will answer thee in this, thou art not right; for +God is greater than man.
13 Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.
14 For God speaketh once, and twice,—[and man] perceiveth it not—
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
16 Then he openeth men's ears, and sealeth their instruction,
17 That he may withdraw man [from his] work, and hide pride from man.
18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from passing away by the sword.
19 He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and with constant strife in his bones;
20 And his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty food;
21 His flesh is consumed away from view, and his bones that were not seen stick out;
22 And his soul draweth near to the pit, and his life to the destroyers.
23 If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his duty;
24 Then he will be gracious unto him, and say, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.
25 His flesh shall be fresher than in childhood; he shall return to the days of his youth.
26 He shall pray unto +God, and he will receive him with favour; and he shall see his face with shoutings, and he will render unto man his righteousness.
27 He will sing before men, and say, I have sinned, and perverted what was right, and it hath not been requited to me;
28 He hath delivered my soul from going into the pit, and my life shall see the light.
29 Lo, all these [things] worketh God twice, thrice, with man,
30 To bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 Mark well, Job, hearken unto me; be silent, and I will speak.
32 If thou hast anything to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify thee.
33 If not, hearken thou unto me; be silent, and I will teach thee wisdom.
34 Moreover Elihu answered and said,
2 Hear my words, ye wise [men]; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
3 For the ear trieth words, as the palate tasteth food.
4 Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us know among ourselves what is good!
5 For Job hath said, I am righteous, and God hath taken away my judgment:
6 Should I lie against my right? My wound is incurable without transgression.
7 What man is like Job? he drinketh up scorning like water,
8 And goeth in company with workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.
9 For he hath said, It profiteth not a man if he delight himself in God.
10 Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: Far be wickedness from God, and wrong from the Almighty!
11 For a man's work will he render to him, and cause every one to find according to [his] way.
12 Yea, surely, God acteth not wickedly, and the Almighty perverteth not judgment.
13 Who hath entrusted to him the earth? and who hath disposed the whole world?
14 If he only thought of himself, [and] gathered unto him his spirit and his breath,
15 All flesh would expire together, and man would return to the dust.
16 If now [thou hast] understanding, hear this: give ear to the voice of my words!
17 Should he that hateth right indeed govern? and wilt thou condemn the All-just?
18 Shall one say to a king, Belial? to nobles, Wicked?
19 [How then to him] that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich man more than the poor? for they are all the work of his hands.
20 In a moment they die, even at midnight the people are convulsed and pass away; and the strong are taken away without hand.
21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his steps.
22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 For he doth not long consider a man, to bring him before God in judgment.
24 He breaketh in pieces mighty men without inquiry, and setteth others in their stead;
25 Since he knoweth their actions; and he overthroweth [them] in the night, and they are crushed.
26 He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others,
27 Because they have turned back from him, and would consider none of his ways;
28 So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.
29 When he giveth quietness, who then will disturb? and when he hideth [his] face, who shall behold him? and this towards a nation, or towards a man alike;
30 That the ungodly man reign not, that the people be not ensnared.
31 For hath he said unto God, I bear [chastisement], I will not offend;
32 What I see not, teach thou me; if I have done wrong, I will do so no more?
33 Shall he recompense according to thy mind? for thou hast refused [his judgment]; for thou so choosest, and not I; speak then what thou knowest.
34 Men of understanding will say to me, and a wise man who heareth me:
35 Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were not with intelligence.
36 Would that Job may be tried unto the end, because of [his] answers after the manner of evil men!
37 For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth [his hands] among us, and multiplieth his words against God.
Job 32-34
New International Version
Job 32-34
New International Version
Elihu
32 So these three men stopped answering Job,(A) because he was righteous in his own eyes.(B) 2 But 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) 3 He 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) 4 Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he.(I) 5 But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused.
6 So 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.
7 I thought, ‘Age should speak;
advanced years should teach wisdom.’(K)
8 But it is the spirit[b](L) in a person,
the breath of the Almighty,(M) that gives them understanding.(N)
9 It 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)
11 I 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)
13 Do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;(U)
let God, not a man, refute(V) him.’
14 But 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)
16 Must I wait, now that they are silent,
now that they stand there with no reply?
17 I too will have my say;
I too will tell what I know.(Y)
18 For I am full of words,
and the spirit(Z) within me compels me;(AA)
19 inside I am like bottled-up wine,
like new wineskins ready to burst.(AB)
20 I must speak and find relief;
I must open my lips and reply.(AC)
21 I will show no partiality,(AD)
nor will I flatter anyone;(AE)
22 for if I were skilled in flattery,
my Maker(AF) would soon take me away.(AG)
33 “But now, Job, listen(AH) to my words;
pay attention to everything I say.(AI)
2 I am about to open my mouth;
my words are on the tip of my tongue.
3 My words come from an upright heart;(AJ)
my lips sincerely speak what I know.(AK)
4 The Spirit(AL) of God has made me;(AM)
the breath of the Almighty(AN) gives me life.(AO)
5 Answer me(AP) then, if you can;
stand up(AQ) and argue your case before me.(AR)
6 I am the same as you in God’s sight;(AS)
I too am a piece of clay.(AT)
7 No fear of me should alarm you,
nor should my hand be heavy on you.(AU)
8 “But you have said in my hearing—
I heard the very words—
9 ‘I am pure,(AV) I have done no wrong;(AW)
I am clean and free from sin.(AX)
10 Yet God has found fault with me;
he considers me his enemy.(AY)
11 He fastens my feet in shackles;(AZ)
he keeps close watch on all my paths.’(BA)
12 “But I tell you, in this you are not right,
for God is greater than any mortal.(BB)
13 Why do you complain to him(BC)
that he responds to no one’s words[d]?(BD)
14 For God does speak(BE)—now one way, now another(BF)—
though no one perceives it.(BG)
15 In a dream,(BH) in a vision(BI) of the night,(BJ)
when deep sleep(BK) falls on people
as they slumber in their beds,
16 he may speak(BL) in their ears
and terrify them(BM) with warnings,(BN)
17 to turn them from wrongdoing
and keep them from pride,(BO)
18 to preserve them from the pit,(BP)
their lives from perishing by the sword.[e](BQ)
19 “Or someone may be chastened(BR) on a bed of pain(BS)
with constant distress in their bones,(BT)
20 so that their body finds food(BU) repulsive
and their soul loathes the choicest meal.(BV)
21 Their flesh wastes away to nothing,
and their bones,(BW) once hidden, now stick out.(BX)
22 They draw near to the pit,(BY)
and their life to the messengers of death.[f](BZ)
23 Yet if there is an angel at their side,
a messenger,(CA) one out of a thousand,
sent to tell them how to be upright,(CB)
24 and he is gracious to that person and says to God,
‘Spare them from going down to the pit;(CC)
I have found a ransom for them(CD)—
25 let their flesh be renewed(CE) like a child’s;
let them be restored as in the days of their youth’(CF)—
26 then that person can pray to God and find favor with him,(CG)
they will see God’s face and shout for joy;(CH)
he will restore them to full well-being.(CI)
27 And they will go to others and say,
‘I have sinned,(CJ) I have perverted what is right,(CK)
but I did not get what I deserved.(CL)
28 God has delivered(CM) me from going down to the pit,(CN)
and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’(CO)
29 “God does all these things to a person(CP)—
twice, even three times(CQ)—
30 to turn them back(CR) from the pit,(CS)
that the light of life(CT) may shine on them.(CU)
31 “Pay attention, Job, and listen(CV) to me;(CW)
be silent,(CX) and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me;(CY)
speak up, for I want to vindicate you.(CZ)
33 But if not, then listen to me;(DA)
be silent,(DB) and I will teach you wisdom.(DC)”
34 Then Elihu said:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men;
listen to me,(DD) you men of learning.
3 For the ear tests words
as the tongue tastes food.(DE)
4 Let us discern for ourselves what is right;(DF)
let us learn together what is good.(DG)
5 “Job says, ‘I am innocent,(DH)
but God denies me justice.(DI)
6 Although I am right,
I am considered a liar;(DJ)
although I am guiltless,(DK)
his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’(DL)
7 Is there anyone like Job,
who drinks scorn like water?(DM)
8 He keeps company with evildoers;
he associates with the wicked.(DN)
9 For he says, ‘There is no profit
in trying to please God.’(DO)
10 “So listen to me,(DP) you men of understanding.(DQ)
Far be it from God to do evil,(DR)
from the Almighty to do wrong.(DS)
11 He repays everyone for what they have done;(DT)
he brings on them what their conduct deserves.(DU)
12 It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,(DV)
that the Almighty would pervert justice.(DW)
13 Who appointed(DX) him over the earth?
Who put him in charge of the whole world?(DY)
14 If it were his intention
and he withdrew his spirit[g](DZ) and breath,(EA)
15 all humanity would perish(EB) together
and mankind would return to the dust.(EC)
16 “If you have understanding,(ED) hear this;
listen to what I say.(EE)
17 Can someone who hates justice govern?(EF)
Will you condemn the just and mighty One?(EG)
18 Is he not the One who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’
and to nobles,(EH) ‘You are wicked,’(EI)
19 who shows no partiality(EJ) to princes
and does not favor the rich over the poor,(EK)
for they are all the work of his hands?(EL)
20 They die in an instant, in the middle of the night;(EM)
the people are shaken and they pass away;
the mighty are removed without human hand.(EN)
21 “His eyes are on the ways of mortals;(EO)
he sees their every step.(EP)
22 There is no deep shadow,(EQ) no utter darkness,(ER)
where evildoers can hide.(ES)
23 God has no need to examine people further,(ET)
that they should come before him for judgment.(EU)
24 Without inquiry he shatters(EV) the mighty(EW)
and sets up others in their place.(EX)
25 Because he takes note of their deeds,(EY)
he overthrows them in the night(EZ) and they are crushed.(FA)
26 He punishes them for their wickedness(FB)
where everyone can see them,
27 because they turned from following him(FC)
and had no regard for any of his ways.(FD)
28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before him,
so that he heard the cry of the needy.(FE)
29 But if he remains silent,(FF) who can condemn him?(FG)
If he hides his face,(FH) who can see him?
Yet he is over individual and nation alike,(FI)
30 to keep the godless(FJ) from ruling,(FK)
from laying snares for the people.(FL)
31 “Suppose someone says to God,
‘I am guilty(FM) but will offend no more.
32 Teach me what I cannot see;(FN)
if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’(FO)
33 Should God then reward you on your terms,
when you refuse to repent?(FP)
You must decide, not I;
so tell me what you know.
34 “Men of understanding declare,
wise men who hear me say to me,
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge;(FQ)
his words lack insight.’(FR)
36 Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost
for answering like a wicked man!(FS)
37 To his sin he adds rebellion;
scornfully he claps his hands(FT) among us
and multiplies his words(FU) against God.”(FV)
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
- Job 33:13 Or that he does not answer for any of his actions
- Job 33:18 Or from crossing the river
- Job 33:22 Or to the place of the dead
- Job 34:14 Or Spirit
Darby Translation (DARBY)
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New International Version (NIV) 
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