Job 32-34 (Contemporary English Version)

Job 32

Elihu Is Upset with Job's Friends

 ¹Finally, these three men stopped arguing with Job, because he refused to admit that he was guilty.

    ²Elihu from Buz ^[a] was there, and he had become upset with Job for blaming God instead of himself. ³He was also angry with Job's three friends for not being able to prove that Job was wrong. ⁴Elihu was younger than these three, and he let them speak first. ⁵But he became irritated when they could not answer Job, ⁶and he said to them: I am much younger than you,

   so I have shown respect

   by keeping silent.

    ⁷I once believed age

   was the source of wisdom;

    ⁸now I truly realize

   wisdom comes from God.

    ⁹Age is no guarantee of wisdom

   and understanding.

    ¹⁰That's why I ask you

   to listen to me.

   

I Eagerly Listened

 ¹¹I eagerly listened

   to each of your arguments,

    ¹²but not one of you proved

   Job to be wrong.

    ¹³You shouldn't say,

   "We know what's right!

   Let God punish him."

    ¹⁴Job hasn't spoken against me,

   and so I won't answer him

   with your arguments.

    ¹⁵All of you are shocked;

   you don't know what to say.

    ¹⁶But am I to remain silent,

   just because you

   have stopped speaking?

    ¹⁷No! I will give my opinion,

    ¹⁸because I have so much to say,

   that I can't keep quiet.

    ¹⁹I am like a swollen wineskin,

   and I will burst ^{[b] 20}if I don't speak.

    ²¹I don't know how to be unfair

   or to flatter anyone--

    ²²if I did, my Creator

   would quickly destroy me!

   

Job 33

Elihu Speaks

Job, Listen to Me!

 ¹Job, listen to me!

   Pay close attention.

    ²Everything I will say

    ³is true and sincere,

    ⁴just as surely as the Spirit

   of God All-Powerful ^[c] gave me the breath of life.

    ⁵Now line up your arguments

   and prepare to face me.

    ⁶We each were made from clay,

   and God has no favorites,

    ⁷so don't be afraid of me

   or what I might do.

   

I Have Heard You Argue

 ⁸I have heard you argue

    ⁹that you are innocent,

   guilty of nothing.

    ¹⁰You claim that God

   has made you his enemy,

    ¹¹that he has bound your feet

   and blocked your path.

    ¹²But, Job, you're wrong--

   God is greater

   than any human.

    ¹³So why do you challenge God

   to answer you? ^{[d] 14}God speaks in different ways,

   and we don't always

   recognize his voice.

    ¹⁵Sometimes in the night,

   he uses terrifying dreams

    ¹⁶to give us warnings.

    ¹⁷God does this to make us turn

   from sin and pride

    ¹⁸and to protect us

   from being swept away

   to the world of the dead.

    ¹⁹Sometimes we are punished

   with a serious illness

   and aching joints.

    ²⁰Merely the thought

   of our favorite food

   makes our stomachs sick,

    ²¹and we become so skinny

   that our bones stick out.

    ²²We feel death and the grave

   taking us in their grip.

    ²³One of a thousand angels

   then comes to our rescue

   by saying we are innocent.

    ²⁴The angel shows kindness,

   commanding death to release us,

   because the price was paid.

    ²⁵Our health is restored,

   we feel young again,

    ²⁶and we ask God to accept us.

   Then we joyfully worship God,

   and we are rewarded

   because we are innocent.

    ²⁷When that happens,

   we tell everyone,

   "I sinned and did wrong,

   but God forgave me

    ²⁸and rescued me from death!

   Now I will see the light."

    ²⁹God gives each of us

   chance after chance

    ³⁰to be saved from death

   and brought into the light

   that gives life.

    ³¹So, Job, pay attention

   and don't interrupt,

    ³²though I would gladly listen

   to anything you say

   that proves you are right.

    ³³Otherwise, listen in silence

   to my wisdom.

   

Job 34

Elihu Continues

You Men Think You Are Wise

 ¹Elihu said:

    ²You men think you are wise,

   but just listen to me!

    ³Think about my words,

   as you would taste food.

    ⁴Then we can decide the case

   and give a just verdict.

    ⁵Job claims he is innocent

   and God is guilty

   of mistreating him.

    ⁶Job also argues that God

   considers him a liar

   and that he is suffering severely

   in spite of his innocence.

    ⁷But to tell the truth,

   Job is shameless!

    ⁸He spends his time with sinners,

    ⁹because he has said,

   "It doesn't pay to please God."

   

If Any of You Are Smart

 ¹⁰If any of you are smart,

   you will listen and learn

   that God All-Powerful

   does what is right.

    ¹¹God always treats everyone

   the way they deserve,

    ¹²and he is never unfair.

    ¹³From the very beginning,

   God has been in control

   of all the world.

    ¹⁴If God took back the breath

   that he breathed into us,

    ¹⁵we humans would die

   and return to the soil.

    ¹⁶So be smart and listen!

    ¹⁷The mighty God is the one

   who brings about justice,

   and you are condemning him.

    ¹⁸Indeed, God is the one

   who condemns unfair rulers.

    ¹⁹And God created us all;

   he has no favorites,

   whether rich or poor.

    ²⁰Even powerful rulers die

   in the darkness of night

   when they least expect it,

   just like the rest of us.

   

God Watches Everything We Do

 ²¹God watches everything we do.

    ²²No evil person can hide

   in the deepest darkness.

    ²³And so, God doesn't need

   to set a time for judgment.

    ²⁴Without asking for advice,

   God removes mighty leaders

   and puts others in their place.

    ²⁵He knows what they are like,

   and he wipes them out

   in the middle of the night.

    ²⁶And while others look on,

   he punishes them

   because they were evil

    ²⁷and refused to obey him.

    ²⁸The persons they mistreated

   had prayed for help,

   until God answered

   their prayers.

    ²⁹When God does nothing,

   can any person or nation

   find fault with him?

    ³⁰But still, he punishes rulers

   who abuse their people. ^{[e] 31}Job, you should tell God

   that you are guilty

   and promise to do better.

    ³²Then ask him to point out

   what you did wrong,

   so you won't do it again.

    ³³Do you make the rules,

   or does God?

   You have to decide--

   I can't do it for you;

   now make up your mind.

    ³⁴Job, anyone with good sense

   can easily see

    ³⁵that you are speaking nonsense

   and lack good judgment.

    ³⁶So I pray for you to suffer

   as much as possible

   for talking like a sinner.

    ³⁷You have rebelled against God,

   time after time,

   and have even insulted us.