Job 32
Good News Translation
The Speeches of Elihu(A)
32 Because Job was convinced of his own innocence, the three men gave up trying to answer him. 2 But a bystander named Elihu could not control his anger any longer, because Job was justifying himself and blaming God. (Elihu was the son of Barakel, a descendant of Buz, and belonged to the clan of Ram.) 3 He was also angry with Job's three friends. They could not find any way to answer Job, and this made it appear that God was in the wrong. 4 Because Elihu was the youngest one there, he had waited until everyone finished speaking. 5 When he saw that the three men could not answer Job, he was angry 6 and began to speak.
Elihu
I am young, and you are old,
so I was afraid to tell you what I think.
7 I told myself that you ought to speak,
that you older men should share your wisdom.
8 But it is the spirit of Almighty God
that comes to us and gives us wisdom.
9 It is not growing old that makes us wise
or helps us to know what is right.
10 So now I want you to listen to me;
let me tell you what I think.
11 I listened patiently while you were speaking
and waited while you searched for wise phrases.
12 I paid close attention and heard you fail;
you have not disproved what Job has said.
13 How can you claim you have discovered wisdom?
God must answer Job, for you have failed.
14 Job was speaking to you, not to me,
but I would never answer the way you did.
15 Words have failed them, Job;
they have no answer for you.
16 Shall I go on waiting when they are silent?
They stand there with nothing more to say.
17 No, I will give my own answer now
and tell you what I think.
18 I can hardly wait to speak.
I can't hold back the words.
19 If I don't get a chance to speak,
I will burst like a wineskin full of new wine.
20 I can't stand it; I have to speak.
21 I will not take sides in this debate;
I am not going to flatter anyone.
22 I don't know how to flatter,
and God would quickly punish me if I did.
約伯記 32
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
以利戶的回答
32 三人見約伯自以為義，便不再回答他。 2 那時，蘭族的布西人巴拉迦的兒子以利戶對約伯很惱火，因為約伯自以為義，不承認上帝的公義。 3 他對約伯的三個朋友也很惱火，因為他們說約伯有罪，卻無法回答約伯的質問[a]。 4 由於不及他們年長，以利戶便等他們說完才向約伯發言。 5 他見三人無法回答約伯，很惱火， 6 就說：
「我年紀輕，你們是長輩，
所以我畏懼，不敢陳明觀點。
7 我想，前輩當先發言，
長者當傳授智慧。
8 但只有人裡面的靈——
全能者的氣息賜人悟性。
9 長者不一定有智慧，
年老不一定明白是非。
10 因此，請聽我說，
我也要陳明觀點。
11 看啊，我一直等候你們發言，
傾聽你們的理論，
等你們斟詞酌句。
12 我仔細聆聽，
發現你們無人能駁倒約伯，
無人能答覆他。
13 你們不要說，『我們找到了智慧，
使他折服的是上帝而非人。』
14 約伯沒有與我辯論，
我也不會用你們的理論答覆他。
15 「他們驚慌失措，無言以對，
再也說不出話來。
16 難道他們不說話，站在那裡無言以對，
我就要等下去嗎？
17 我也要作出答覆，
陳明我的觀點。
18 因為我心裡積滿了話，
我裡面的靈催促我說出來。
19 我裡面像盛滿了酒，卻沒有出口，
又如將要破裂的新酒袋。
20 我要一吐為快，
我要開口答覆。
21 我不看人的情面，
也不奉承人。
22 我不善奉承，
否則，造物主會很快把我除掉。
Footnotes
- 32·3 「因為他們說約伯有罪，卻無法回答約伯的質問」有古卷作「因為他們無法回答約伯的質問，因而置上帝於不公」。
Job 32
New King James Version
Elihu Contradicts Job’s Friends
32 So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was (A)righteous in his own eyes. 2 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. 3 Also against his three friends his wrath was aroused, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.
4 Now because they were years older than he, Elihu had waited [a]to speak to Job. 5 When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was aroused.
6 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.
7 I said, [b]‘Age should speak,
And multitude of years should teach wisdom.’
8 But there is a spirit in man,
And (E)the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.
9 (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.
Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition) © 1992 American Bible Society. All rights reserved. For more information about GNT, visit www.bibles.com and www.gnt.bible.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
