Job 33:31-34:4
Christian Standard Bible
31 Pay attention, Job, and listen to me.
Be quiet, and I will speak.
32 But if you have something to say,[a] answer me;
speak, for I would like to justify you.
33 If not, then listen to me;
be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.
34 Then Elihu continued,[b] saying:
2 Hear my words, you wise ones,
and listen to me, you knowledgeable ones.
3 Doesn’t the ear test words
as the palate tastes food?
4 Let us judge for ourselves what is right;
let us decide together what is good.
Job 33:31-34:4
New English Translation
31 Pay attention, Job—listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
32 If you have any words,[a] reply to me;
speak, for I want to justify you.[b]
33 If not, you listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
Elihu’s Second Speech[c]
34 Elihu answered:
2 “Listen to my words, you wise men;
hear[d] me, you learned men.[e]
3 For the ear assesses[f] words
as the mouth[g] tastes food.
4 Let us evaluate[h] for ourselves what is right;[i]
let us come to know among ourselves what is good.
Footnotes
- Job 33:32 tn Heb “if there are words.”
- Job 33:32 tn The infinitive construct serves as the complement or object of “I desire.” It could be rendered “to justify you” or “your justification,” namely, “that you be justified.”
- Job 34:1 sn This speech of Elihu focuses on defending God. It can be divided into these sections: Job is irreligious (2-9), God is just (10-15), God is impartial and omniscient (16-30), Job is foolish to rebel (31-37).
- Job 34:2 tn Heb “give ear to me.”
- Job 34:2 tn The Hebrew word means “the men who know,” and without a complement it means “to possess knowledge.”
- Job 34:3 tn Or “examines; tests; tries; discerns.”
- Job 34:3 tn Or “palate”; the Hebrew term refers to the tongue or to the mouth in general.
- Job 34:4 sn Elihu means “choose after careful examination.”
- Job 34:4 tn The word is מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) again, with the sense of what is right or just.
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.