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.
Job 33:31-34:4
Expanded Bible
31 “Job, pay attention and listen to me;
be quiet, and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me;
speak up, because I want to ·prove you right [vindicate you].
33 But if you have nothing to say, then listen to me;
be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.”
34 Then Elihu answered:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men;
listen to me, you who know a lot.
3 The ear tests words
as the ·tongue [L palate] tastes food.
4 Let’s ·decide [choose] for ourselves what is ·right [just],
and let’s learn together what is good.
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