Job 32:1-10

New International Version

Elihu

32 So these three men stopped answering Job,^(A) because he was righteous in his own eyes.^(B) ²But 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) ³He 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) ⁴Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he.^(I) ⁵But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused.

⁶So 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.
⁷I thought, ‘Age should speak;
    advanced years should teach wisdom.’^(K)
⁸But it is the spirit^[b]^(L) in a person,
    the breath of the Almighty,^(M) that gives them understanding.^(N)
⁹It 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)

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Footnotes

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

Job 32:19-22

New International Version

¹⁹inside I am like bottled-up wine,
    like new wineskins ready to burst.^(A)
²⁰I must speak and find relief;
    I must open my lips and reply.^(B)
²¹I will show no partiality,^(C)
    nor will I flatter anyone;^(D)
²²for if I were skilled in flattery,
    my Maker^(E) would soon take me away.^(F)

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Job 33:1

New International Version

33 “But now, Job, listen^(A) to my words;
pay attention to everything I say.^(B)

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Job 33:1 in all English translations

Job 33:19-28

New International Version

¹⁹“Or someone may be chastened^(A) on a bed of pain^(B)
    with constant distress in their bones,^(C)
²⁰so that their body finds food^(D) repulsive
    and their soul loathes the choicest meal.^(E)
²¹Their flesh wastes away to nothing,
    and their bones,^(F) once hidden, now stick out.^(G)
²²They draw near to the pit,^(H)
    and their life to the messengers of death.^[a]^(I)
²³Yet if there is an angel at their side,
    a messenger,^(J) one out of a thousand,
    sent to tell them how to be upright,^(K)
²⁴and he is gracious to that person and says to God,
    ‘Spare them from going down to the pit;^(L)
    I have found a ransom for them^(M)—
²⁵let their flesh be renewed^(N) like a child’s;
    let them be restored as in the days of their youth’^(O)—
²⁶then that person can pray to God and find favor with him,^(P)
    they will see God’s face and shout for joy;^(Q)
    he will restore them to full well-being.^(R)
²⁷And they will go to others and say,
    ‘I have sinned,^(S) I have perverted what is right,^(T)
    but I did not get what I deserved.^(U)
²⁸God has delivered^(V) me from going down to the pit,^(W)
    and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’^(X)