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 Contradicts Job’s Friends

32 So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was (A)righteous in his own eyes. Then the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel the (B)Buzite, of the family of Ram, was aroused against Job; his wrath was aroused because he (C)justified himself rather than God. Also against his three friends his wrath was aroused, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.

Now because they were years older than he, Elihu had waited [a]to speak to Job. When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was aroused.

So Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and said:

“I am (D)young in years, and you are very old;
Therefore I was afraid,
And dared not declare my opinion to you.
I said, [b]‘Age should speak,
And multitude of years should teach wisdom.’
But there is a spirit in man,
And (E)the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.
(F)Great[c] men are not always wise,
Nor do the aged always understand justice.

10 “Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me,
I also will declare my opinion.’
11 Indeed I waited for your words,
I listened to your reasonings, while you searched out what to say.
12 I paid close attention to you;
And surely not one of you convinced Job,
Or answered his words—
13 (G)Lest you say,
‘We have found wisdom’;
God will vanquish him, not man.
14 Now he has not [d]directed his words against me;
So I will not answer him with your words.

15 “They are dismayed and answer no more;
Words escape them.
16 And I have waited, because they did not speak,
Because they stood still and answered no more.
17 I also will answer my part,
I too will declare my opinion.
18 For I am full of words;
The spirit within me compels me.
19 Indeed my [e]belly is like wine that has no [f]vent;
It is ready to burst like new wineskins.
20 I will speak, that I may find relief;
I must open my lips and answer.
21 Let me not, I pray, show partiality to anyone;
Nor let me flatter any man.
22 For I do not know how to flatter,
Else my Maker would soon take me (H)away.

Footnotes

  1. Job 32:4 Vg. till Job had spoken
  2. Job 32:7 Lit. Days, i.e., years
  3. Job 32:9 Or Men of many years
  4. Job 32:14 ordered
  5. Job 32:19 bosom
  6. Job 32:19 opening

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.