Job 32

Elihu’s Angry Response

¹So these three men quit answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. ^{a 2}Then Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite ^b from the family of Ram became angry. He was angry at Job because he had justified ^c himself rather than God. ³He was also angry at Job’s three friends because they had failed to refute him and yet had condemned him. ^d

⁴Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were all older than he. ⁵But when he saw that the three men could not answer Job, he became angry.

⁶So Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite replied:

I am young in years,

while you are old;

therefore I was timid and afraid

to tell ^e you what I know.

⁷I thought that age should speak

and maturity should teach wisdom.

⁸But it is the spirit in a person—

the breath ^f from the Almighty—

that gives anyone understanding.

⁹It is not only the old who are wise

or the elderly who understand how to judge.

¹⁰Therefore I say, “Listen to me.

I too will declare what I know.”

¹¹Look, I waited for your conclusions;

I listened to your insights

as you sought for words.

¹²I paid close attention to you.

Yet no one proved Job wrong;

not one of you refuted his arguments.

¹³So do not claim, “We have found wisdom;

let God deal with him, not man.”

¹⁴But Job has not directed his argument to me,

and I will not respond to him with your arguments.

¹⁵Job’s friends are dismayed and can no longer answer;

words have left them.

¹⁶Should I continue to wait now that they are silent,

now that they stand there and no longer answer?

¹⁷I too will answer; ^g

yes, I will tell what I know.

¹⁸For I am full of words,

and my spirit ^h compels me to speak. ⁱ

¹⁹My heart ^j is like unvented wine;

it is about to burst like new wineskins. ^k

²⁰I must speak so that I can find relief;

I must open my lips and respond.

²¹I will be partial to no one, ^l

and I will not give anyone an undeserved title.

²²For I do not know how to give such titles;

otherwise, my Maker would remove me in an instant.