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Elihu tadelt Hiobs Freunde und redet zu Hiob

32 Und jene drei Männer hörten auf, Hiob zu antworten, weil er in seinen Augen gerecht war.

Da entbrannte der Zorn Elihus[a], des Sohnes Baracheels, des Busiters, aus dem Geschlecht Ram; über Hiob entbrannte sein Zorn, weil er meinte, er sei Gott gegenüber im Recht;[b]

über seine drei Freunde aber entbrannte sein Zorn, weil sie keine Antwort fanden und Hiob doch verurteilten.

Elihu aber hatte mit seiner Rede an Hiob gewartet; denn jene waren älter als er.

Als aber Elihu sah, dass im Mund jener drei Männer keine Antwort mehr war, da entbrannte sein Zorn.

Und Elihu, der Sohn Baracheels, der Busiter, ergriff das Wort und sprach:

Jung bin ich an Jahren, ihr aber seid grau; darum scheute und fürchtete ich mich, euch mein Wissen zu verkünden.

Ich dachte: Die Betagten sollen reden und die Bejahrten Weisheit lehren!

Aber der Geist ist es im Menschen, und der Odem des Allmächtigen, der sie verständig macht.

Angesehene sind nicht weise, und Alte verstehen sich nicht aufs Recht.

10 Darum sage ich: Höre auf mich, so will ich mein Wissen verkünden, ja, auch ich!

11 Siehe, ich habe eure Reden abgewartet, auf eure Einsichten gehört, bis ihr die [rechten] Worte finden würdet;

12 und ich gab aufmerksam auf euch acht — aber siehe, da war keiner, der Hiob widerlegt hätte, der seine Reden beantwortet hätte!

13 Sagt nur ja nicht: »Wir haben die Weisheit gefunden: Gott wird ihn wegfegen, nicht ein Mensch!«

14 Er hat seine Worte nicht an mich gerichtet, so will ich ihm auch nicht mit euren Worten antworten.

15 Sie sind bestürzt, sie geben keine Antwort mehr, die Worte sind ihnen ausgegangen!

16 Und ich sollte warten, weil sie nichts sagen, weil sie dastehen und nicht mehr antworten?

17 So will auch ich nun meinen Teil erwidern und mein Wissen verkünden, ja, auch ich!

18 Denn ich bin voll von Worten, und der Geist, der in mir ist, drängt mich dazu.

19 Siehe, mein Inneres ist wie Wein, der keine Öffnung hat; wie [Wein], der aus neuen Schläuchen hervorbricht.

20 Ich will reden, damit ich Luft bekomme; ich will meine Lippen auftun und antworten.

21 Ich will aber für niemand Partei ergreifen und keinem Menschen schmeicheln;

22 denn ich kann nicht schmeicheln — leicht könnte mein Schöpfer mich sonst wegraffen!

Footnotes

  1. (32,2) bed. »Er ist mein Gott«.
  2. (32,2) Andere Übersetzung: weil er sich selbst für gerechter hielt als Gott.

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

Elihu Rebukes Job's Three Friends

32 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was (A)righteous in his own eyes. Then Elihu the son of Barachel (B)the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself (C)rather than God. He burned with anger also at Job's three friends because they had found no answer, although they had (D)declared Job to be in the wrong. Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger.

And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said:

“I am young in years,
    and you are (E)aged;
therefore I was timid and afraid
    to declare my opinion to you.
I said, ‘Let days speak,
    and many years teach wisdom.’
But it is (F)the spirit in man,
    (G)the breath of the Almighty, that makes him (H)understand.
(I)It is not the old[a] who are wise,
    nor the aged who understand what is right.
10 Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;
    let me also declare my opinion.’

11 “Behold, I waited for your words,
    I listened for your wise sayings,
    while you searched out what to say.
12 I gave you my attention,
    and, behold, there was none among you who refuted Job
    or who answered his words.
13 Beware (J)lest you say, ‘We have found wisdom;
    God may vanquish him, not a man.’
14 He has not directed his words against me,
    and I will not answer him with your speeches.

15 “They are dismayed; they answer no more;
    they have not a word to say.
16 And shall I wait, because they do not speak,
    because they stand there, and answer no more?
17 I also will answer with my share;
    I also will declare my opinion.
18 For I am full of words;
    the spirit within me constrains me.
19 Behold, my belly is like wine that has no vent;
    like new (K)wineskins ready to burst.
20 (L)I must speak, that I may find (M)relief;
    I must open my lips and answer.
21 I will not (N)show partiality to any man
    or use flattery toward any person.
22 For I do not know how to flatter,
    else my Maker would soon take me away.

Footnotes

  1. Job 32:9 Hebrew many [in years]