Job 32
Living Bible
32 The three men refused to reply further to Job because he kept insisting on his innocence.
2 Then Elihu (son of Barachel, the Buzite, of the clan of Ram) became angry because Job refused to admit he had sinned and to acknowledge that God had just cause for punishing him. 3 But he was also angry with Job’s three friends because they had been unable to answer Job’s arguments and yet had condemned him. 4 Elihu had waited until now to speak because the others were older than he.
5 But when he saw that they had no further reply, he spoke out angrily, 6 and said, “I am young and you are old, so I held back and did not dare to tell you what I think, 7 for those who are older are said to be wiser; 8-9 but it is not mere age that makes men wise. Rather, it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty that makes him intelligent. 10 So listen to me awhile and let me express my opinion.
11-12 “I have waited all this time, listening very carefully to your arguments, but not one of them has convinced Job that he is a sinner or has proved that he is. 13 And don’t give me that line about ‘only God can convince the sinner of his sin.’ 14 If Job had been arguing with me, I would not answer with that kind of logic!
15 “You sit there baffled, with no further replies. 16 Shall I then continue to wait when you are silent? 17 No, I will give my answer too. 18 For I am pent up and full of words, and the spirit within me urges me on. 19 I am like a wine cask without a vent! My words are ready to burst out! 20 I must speak to find relief, so let me give my answers. 21-22 Don’t insist that I be cautious lest I insult someone, and don’t make me flatter anyone. Let me be frank lest God should strike me dead.
Job 32
Louis Segond
32 Ces trois hommes cessèrent de répondre à Job, parce qu'il se regardait comme juste.
2 Alors s'enflamma de colère Élihu, fils de Barakeel de Buz, de la famille de Ram. Sa colère s'enflamma contre Job, parce qu'il se disait juste devant Dieu.
3 Et sa colère s'enflamma contre ses trois amis, parce qu'ils ne trouvaient rien à répondre et que néanmoins ils condamnaient Job.
4 Comme ils étaient plus âgés que lui, Élihu avait attendu jusqu'à ce moment pour parler à Job.
5 Mais, voyant qu'il n'y avait plus de réponse dans la bouche de ces trois hommes, Élihu s'enflamma de colère.
6 Et Élihu, fils de Barakeel de Buz, prit la parole et dit: Je suis jeune, et vous êtes des vieillards; C'est pourquoi j'ai craint, j'ai redouté De vous faire connaître mon sentiment.
7 Je disais en moi-même: Les jours parleront, Le grand nombre des années enseignera la sagesse.
8 Mais en réalité, dans l'homme, c'est l'esprit, Le souffle du Tout Puissant, qui donne l'intelligence;
9 Ce n'est pas l'âge qui procure la sagesse, Ce n'est pas la vieillesse qui rend capable de juger.
10 Voilà pourquoi je dis: Écoute! Moi aussi, j'exposerai ma pensée.
11 J'ai attendu la fin de vos discours, J'ai suivi vos raisonnements, Votre examen des paroles de Job.
12 Je vous ai donné toute mon attention; Et voici, aucun de vous ne l'a convaincu, Aucun n'a réfuté ses paroles.
13 Ne dites pas cependant: En lui nous avons trouvé la sagesse; C'est Dieu qui peut le confondre, ce n'est pas un homme!
14 Il ne s'est pas adressé directement à moi: Aussi lui répondrai-je tout autrement que vous.
15 Ils ont peur, ils ne répondent plus! Ils ont la parole coupée!
16 J'ai attendu qu'ils eussent fini leurs discours, Qu'ils s'arrêtassent et ne sussent que répliquer.
17 A mon tour, je veux répondre aussi, Je veux dire aussi ce que je pense.
18 Car je suis plein de paroles, L'esprit me presse au dedans de moi;
19 Mon intérieur est comme un vin qui n'a pas d'issue, Comme des outres neuves qui vont éclater.
20 Je parlerai pour respirer à l'aise, J'ouvrirai mes lèvres et je répondrai.
21 Je n'aurai point égard à l'apparence, Et je ne flatterai personne;
22 Car je ne sais pas flatter: Mon créateur m'enlèverait bien vite.
Job 32
New Catholic Bible
The Four Speeches of Elihu[a]
Chapter 32
Elihu’s Indignation Is Aroused.[b] 1 The three men then ceased to argue with Job because in his own eyes he was righteous. 2 Then Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite,[c] of the family of Ram, became very angry. He was furious because Job believed that he was righteous and that God was in error. 3 And he was also angry at Job’s three friends because they had never devised an answer to refute Job and thus had allowed God to appear to be wrong.
4 While Job and his friends had been conversing, Elihu had refrained from addressing Job, since the three companions were older than he. 5 But when Elihu perceived that the three had no answer to offer, he could no longer contain his anger.
Elihu’s First Speech
I Have Many Things To Say.[d] 6 Therefore Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, began to speak.
“I am young in years,
and you are old.
Therefore, I held my tongue
and hesitated to express my opinion to you.
7 I thought, ‘Age ought to speak;
many years will result in conveying wisdom.’
8 “But it is the spirit in a man,
the breath of the Almighty,
that gives him understanding.
9 It is not only the old who are wise;
it is not only the aged who understand what is right.
10 Therefore, I beg you to listen to me
and allow me to declare my opinion.
11 “I have been waiting to hear what you had to say,
and I listened attentively to your arguments
as each one of you chose your words with care.
12 I gave you my close attention,
but there is not one of you who has convicted Job
or refuted his statements.
13 Therefore, do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;
let God confute him, not men!’
14 Job has not addressed his words to me;
therefore, I will not answer him in the way you have done.
15 “These three men are confounded and unable to respond;
words have failed them.
16 Am I then to wait because they do not speak,
but simply stand there, stuck for an answer?
17 I also will now have my say;
it is my turn to express my opinion.
18 For I have many things to say,
and the spirit within me forces me to speak.
19 “I am ready to burst,
like a new wineskin with wine searching for a vent.
20 I must speak so that I may find relief;
I must open my lips and reply.
21 I will show no partiality to anyone,
nor will I use flattering words.
22 For I do not know how to flatter;
if I did, my Maker would soon do away with me.
Footnotes
- Job 32:1 The speeches of Elihu (chs. 32–37), like the composition on wisdom (ch. 28), were probably added to the Book of Job in a second phase of the Book’s history. The final editor was perhaps trying to soften the overly harsh positions put on the lips of Job. He tries to justify the intervention of this unexpected personage by saying that it was necessary to let the older men speak first. This champion of the rights of God adds little new except that he does a better job of situating suffering in the divine plan. When he has concluded his bit of eloquence, he is no longer mentioned.
- Job 32:1 Elihu’s four poetic speeches are introduced by five prose verses written by the author.
- Job 32:2 Buzite: i.e., an inhabitant of the desert region of Buz in north Arabia (see Jer 25:23).
- Job 32:6 Right from the beginning of this lengthy monologue, Elihu opposes his wisdom to that of the ancients. Intelligence does not result from the short views of experience or tradition but from receiving inspiration from God (Wis 1:6; Sir 1:1-10; Isa 28:26; Dan 1:17). He does not hurl false accusations at Job as his friends did but uses Job’s own words to criticize him (see Job 33:9-11; 34:5-6, 9; 35:2-3).
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
