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32 Forsooth these three men left off to answer Job, for he seemed a just man to them. (And then these three men gave up trying to answer Job, for he continued to see himself as a righteous, or an innocent, man.)

And Elihu, the son of Barachel (the) Buzite, of the kindred of Ram, was wroth, and had indignation; and he was wroth against Job, for he said himself to be just before God (and he was angry against Job, for he had said himself to be righteous before God).

And also Elihu had indignation against the three friends of Job, for they had found no reasonable answer, but only had condemned Job (but had only condemned Job).

Therefore Elihu abode Job speaking, for they, that spake, were elder men. (And so Elihu waited for Job to finish speaking, for all those, who spoke, were older than he was.)

But when he had seen, that these three men might not answer Job, he was wroth greatly (he was very angry).

And Elihu, the son of Barachel (the) Buzite, answered, and said, I am younger in time, and ye be elder; therefore with head holden down, I dreaded to show to you my sentence. (And Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered, and said, I am younger in age, and ye be older; and so with my face cast down, I feared to tell you my thinking.)

For I hoped that [the] longer age should speak, and that the multitude of years should teach wisdom.

But as I see now, a spirit is in men, and the inspiration, either revelation, of Almighty God giveth understanding.

Men of long life be not (always) wise, and eld men understand not doom. (Men of long life do not always be wise, nor do old men always have judgement, or know what is right.)

10 Therefore I shall say, Hear ye me, and I also shall show my knowing to you. (And so I say, Listen ye to me, and I shall show my knowledge to you.)

11 For I abode your words, I heard your prudence, as long as ye disputed in your words. (For I waited on your words, and I listened to your thinking, for as long as ye disputed with your words.)

12 And as long as I guessed you to say anything, I beheld; but as I perceive, there is none of you, that may reprove Job, and answer to his words; (And for as long as I thought, that any of you had something of value to say, I listened; but now I perceive, that none of you can rebuke Job, or make an answer to his words;)

13 lest peradventure ye say, We have found wisdom; God, and not man, hath cast him away. (lest perhaps ye say, We have found wisdom; but it is God who hath thrown him away, and not man.)

14 Job spake nothing to me, and I not by your words shall answer him. (Job spoke to you, and said nothing to me, but I shall not shall answer him with words like yours.)

15 They [much] dreaded, and answered no more, and took away speech from themselves. (For, Job, they be afraid, and have no more answers, and nothing left to say.)

16 Therefore since I abode, and they spake not, they stood, and answered no more; (And so, since I waited, and now they speak no more, but stand silent, and have no more answers,)

17 also I shall answer my part, and I shall show my knowing. (now I shall state my part, and I shall say what I think.)

18 For I am full of words, and the spirit of my womb, that is, (my) mind, constraineth me.

19 Lo! my womb is as must without (a) spigot/without (a) faucet, either a venting, that bursteth new vessels.

20 I shall speak, and (then) breathe again a little; I shall open my lips, and I shall answer (you).

21 I shall not take the person of a man, and I shall not make God even to man. (I shall not show favour to anyone, and I shall not make God equal to people.)

22 For I know not how long I shall abide alive, and if my Maker will take me away after a little time.

Elihu

32 So these three men stopped answering Job,(A) because he was righteous in his own eyes.(B) 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) 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) Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he.(I) But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused.

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.
I thought, ‘Age should speak;
    advanced years should teach wisdom.’(K)
But it is the spirit[b](L) in a person,
    the breath of the Almighty,(M) that gives them understanding.(N)
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)

Footnotes

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