Job 32-34 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Job 32

Elihu's Angry Response

 ¹ So 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. ³ He was also angry at Job's three friends because they had failed to refute [him], and yet had condemned him.

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

    ⁶ So Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite replied:
    I am young in years,
    while you are old;
    therefore I was timid and afraid
    to tell ^(D) you what I know.

    ⁷ I thought that age should speak
    and maturity should teach wisdom.

    ⁸ But it is a spirit in man ^[a]
    and the breath ^(E) of the Almighty
    that give him understanding.

    ⁹ It is not [only] the old who are wise
    or the elderly who understand how to judge.

    ¹⁰ Therefore I say, "Listen to me.
    I too will declare what I know."

    ¹¹ Look, I waited for your conclusions;
    I listened to your insights
    as you sought for words.

    ¹² I paid close attention to you.
    Yet no one proved Job wrong;
    not one of you refuted his arguments.

    ¹³ So do not claim, "We have found wisdom;
    let God deal with him, not man."

    ¹⁴ But Job has not directed his argument to me,
    and I will not respond to him with your arguments.

    ¹⁵ Job's friends are dismayed and can no longer answer;
    words have left them.

    ¹⁶ Should I continue to wait now that they are silent,
    now that they stand [there] and no longer answer?

    ¹⁷ I too will answer; ^[b]
    yes, I will tell what I know.

    ¹⁸ For I am full of words,
    and my spirit ^[c] compels me [to speak]. ^(F)

    ¹⁹ My heart ^[d] is like unvented wine;
    it is about to burst like new wineskins. ^(G)

    ²⁰ I must speak so that I can find relief;
    I must open my lips and respond.

    ²¹ I will be partial to no one, ^(H)
    and I will not give anyone an [undeserved] title.

    ²² For I do not know how to give [such] titles;
    otherwise, my Maker would remove me in an instant.

   

Job 33

Elihu Confronts Job

 ¹ But now, Job, pay attention to my speech,
    and listen to all my words.

    ² I am going to open my mouth;
    my tongue will form words on my palate.

    ³ My words [come from] my upright ^(I) heart,
    and my lips speak what they know with sincerity.

    ⁴ The Spirit of God has made me,
    and the breath of the Almighty ^(J) gives me life. ^(K)

    ⁵ Refute me if you can.
    Prepare ^(L) your case against me; take your stand. ^(M)

    ⁶ I am just like you before God;
    I was also pinched off from [a piece of] clay. ^(N)

    ⁷ Fear ^(O) of me should not terrify you;
    the pressure I exert ^[e] against you will be light.

    ⁸ Surely you have spoken in my hearing,
    and I have heard these very ^[f] words:

    ⁹ "I am pure, without transgression;
    I am clean and have no guilt. ^(P)

    ¹⁰ But He finds reasons to oppose me;
    He regards me as his enemy. ^(Q)

    ¹¹ He puts my feet in the stocks;
    He stands watch ^(R) over all my paths."

    ¹² But I tell you that you are wrong in this [matter],
    since God is greater than man. ^(S)

    ¹³ Why do you take ^(T) Him to court
    for not answering anything a person asks? ^[g]

    ¹⁴ For God speaks time and again,
    but a person may not notice it.

    ¹⁵ In a dream, a vision ^(U) in the night,
    when deep sleep falls on people ^(V)
    as they slumber on [their] beds,

    ¹⁶ He uncovers their ears ^(W) at that time
    and terrifies them ^[h] with warnings,

    ¹⁷ in order to turn a person [from his] actions
    and suppress his pride. ^[i]

    ¹⁸ God spares his soul from the Pit, ^(X)
    his life from crossing the river [of death]. ^[j]

    ¹⁹ A person may be disciplined on his bed ^(Y) with pain
    and constant distress in his bones, ^(Z)

    ²⁰ so that he detests bread,
    and his soul [despises his] favorite food. ^(AA)

    ²¹ His flesh wastes away to nothing, ^[k]
    and his unseen bones stick out.

    ²² He draws near the Pit,
    and his life to the executioners.

    ²³ If there is an angel ^(AB) on his side,
    one mediator out of a thousand,
    to tell a person what is right for him ^[l]

    ²⁴ and to be gracious to him and say,
    "Spare him from going down to the Pit;
    I have found a ransom," ^(AC)

    ²⁵ then his flesh will be healthier ^[m] than in his youth,
    and he will return to the days of his youthful vigor. ^(AD)

    ²⁶ He will pray to God, and God will delight in him.
    That man will behold His face ^(AE) with a shout of joy,
    and God will restore his righteousness to him. ^(AF)

    ²⁷ He will look at men and say,
    "I have sinned and perverted what was right;
    yet I did not get what I deserved. ^[n]

    ²⁸ He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit,
    and I will continue to see the light."

    ²⁹ God certainly does all these things
    two or three times to a man

    ³⁰ in order to turn him back from the Pit,
    so he may shine with the light of life. ^(AG)

    ³¹ Pay attention, Job, and listen to me.
    Be quiet, and I will speak.

    ³² But if you have something to say, ^[o] answer me;
    speak, for I would like to justify you.

    ³³ If not, then listen to me;
    be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.

Job 34

 ¹ Then Elihu continued, ^[p] saying:

    ² Hear my words, you wise men,
    and listen to me, you knowledgeable ones.

    ³ Doesn't the ear tests words
    as the palate tastes food?

    ⁴ Let us judge for ourselves what is right;
    let us decide together what is good.

    ⁵ For Job has declared, "I am righteous,
    yet God has deprived me of justice. ^(AH)

    ⁶ Would I lie about my case? ^(AI)
    My wound ^[q] is incurable,
    though I am without transgression."

    ⁷ What man is like Job?
    He drinks derision ^(AJ) like water.

    ⁸ He keeps company with evildoers
    and walks with wicked men.

    ⁹ For he has said, "A man gains nothing
    when he becomes God's friend." ^(AK)

    ¹⁰ Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding.
    It is impossible for God [to do] wrong,
    and [for] the Almighty [to act] unjustly. ^(AL)

    ¹¹ For He repays ^(AM) a person [according to] his deeds,
    and He bring his ways on him.

    ¹² Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly
    and the Almighty does not pervert justice. ^(AN)

    ¹³ Who gave Him authority over the earth?
    Who put Him in charge of the entire world? ^(AO)

    ¹⁴ If He put His mind to it
    and withdrew the spirit ^(AP) and breath He [gave],

    ¹⁵ every living thing would perish together
    and mankind would return to the dust. ^(AQ)

    ¹⁶ If you [have] understanding, hear this;
    listen to what I have to say.

    ¹⁷ Could one who hates justice govern [the world]?
    Will you condemn the mighty Righteous One, ^(AR)

    ¹⁸ who says to a king, "Worthless man!"
    and to nobles, "Wicked men!"? ^(AS)

    ¹⁹ God is not partial ^(AT) to princes
    and does not favor the rich over the poor,
    for they are all the work of His hands.

    ²⁰ They die suddenly in the middle of the night;
    people shudder, then pass away.
    Even the mighty are removed without effort.

    ²¹ For His eyes [watch] over a man's ways,
    and He observes all his steps. ^(AU)

    ²² There is no darkness, no deep darkness,
    where evildoers can hide themselves. ^(AV)

    ²³ God does not [need to] examine a person further,
    that one should ^[r] approach Him in court.

    ²⁴ He shatters the mighty without an investigation
    and sets others in their place. ^(AW)

    ²⁵ Therefore, He recognizes their deeds ^(AX)
    and overthrows [them] by night, and they are crushed.

    ²⁶ In full view of the public, ^[s]
    He strikes them for their wickedness,

    ²⁷ because they turned aside from following Him
    and did not understand any of His ways

    ²⁸ but caused the poor to cry out to Him,
    and He heard the outcry of the afflicted. ^(AY)

    ²⁹ But when God is silent, who can declare [Him] guilty?
    When He hides [His] face, who can see Him?
    Yet He [watches] over both individuals and nations,

    ³⁰ so that godless men should not rule
    or ensnare the people.

    ³¹ Suppose someone says to God,
    "I have endured [my punishment];
    I will no [longer] act wickedly.

    ³² Teach me what I cannot see;
    if I have done wrong, I won't do it again."

    ³³ Should God repay [you] on your terms
    when you have rejected [His]?
    You must choose, not I!
    So declare what you know.

    ³⁴ Reasonable men will say to me,
    along with the wise men who hear me,

    ³⁵ "Job speaks without knowledge; ^(AZ)
    his words are without insight."

    ³⁶ If only Job were tested to the limit,
    because [his] answers are [like] those of wicked men.

    ³⁷ For he adds rebellion to his sin;
    he [scornfully] claps ^(BA) in our presence,
    while multiplying ^(BB) his words against God.