Beginning
Elihu Speaks
32 These three men stopped trying to answer Job, because he was so sure he was right. 2 But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, from the family of Ram, became very angry with Job, because Job claimed he was right instead of God. 3 Elihu was also angry with Job’s three friends who had no answer to show that Job was wrong, yet continued to blame him. 4 Elihu had waited before speaking to Job, because the three friends were older than he was. 5 But when Elihu saw that the three men had nothing more to say, he became very angry.
6 So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said this:
“I am young,
and you are old.
That is why I was afraid
to tell you what I know.
7 I thought, ‘Older people should speak,
and those who have lived many years should teach wisdom.’
8 But it is the spirit in a person,
the breath of the Almighty, that gives understanding.
9 It is not just older people who are wise;
they are not the only ones who understand what is right.
10 So I say, listen to me.
I too will tell you what I know.
11 I waited while you three spoke,
and listened to your explanations.
While you looked for words to use,
12 I paid close attention to you.
But not one of you has proved Job wrong;
none of you has answered his arguments.
13 Don’t say, ‘We have found wisdom;
only God will show Job to be wrong, not people.’
14 Job has not spoken his words against me,
so I will not use your arguments to answer Job.
15 “These three friends are defeated and have no more to say;
words have failed them.
16 Now they are standing there with no answers for Job.
Now that they are quiet, must I wait to speak?
17 No, I too will speak
and tell what I know.
18 I am full of words,
and the spirit in me causes me to speak.
19 I am like wine that has been bottled up;
I am ready to burst like a new leather wine bag.
20 I must speak so I will feel relief;
I must open my mouth and answer.
21 I will be fair to everyone
and not flatter anyone.
22 I don’t know how to flatter,
and if I did, my Maker would quickly take me away.
33 “Now, Job, listen to my words.
Pay attention to everything I say.
2 I open my mouth
and am ready to speak.
3 My words come from an honest heart,
and I am sincere in saying what I know.
4 The Spirit of God created me,
and the breath of the Almighty gave me life.
5 Answer me if you can;
get yourself ready and stand before me.
6 I am just like you before God;
I too am made out of clay.
7 Don’t be afraid of me;
I will not be hard on you.
8 “But I heard what you have said;
I heard every word.
9 You said, ‘I am pure and without sin;
I am innocent and free from guilt.
10 But God has found fault with me;
he considers me his enemy.
11 He locks my feet in chains
and closely watches everywhere I go.’
12 “But I tell you, you are not right in saying this,
because God is greater than we are.
13 Why do you accuse God
of not answering anyone?
14 God does speak—sometimes one way and sometimes another—
even though people may not understand it.
15 He speaks in a dream or a vision of the night
when people are in a deep sleep,
lying on their beds.
16 He speaks in their ears
and frightens them with warnings
17 to turn them away from doing wrong
and to keep them from being proud.
18 God does this to save people from death,
to keep them from dying.
19 People may be corrected while in bed in great pain;
they may have continual pain in their very bones.
20 They may be in such pain that they even hate food,
even the very best meal.
21 Their body becomes so thin there is almost nothing left of it,
and their bones that were hidden now stick out.
22 They are near death,
and their life is almost over.
23 “But there may be an angel to speak for him,
one out of a thousand, who will tell him what to do.
24 The angel will beg for mercy and say:
‘Save him from death.
I have found a way to pay for his life.’
25 Then his body is made new like a child’s.
It will return to the way it was when he was young.
26 That person will pray to God, and God will listen to him.
He will see God’s face and will shout with happiness.
And God will set things right for him again.
27 Then he will say to others,
‘I sinned and twisted what was right,
but I did not receive the punishment I should have received.
28 God bought my life back from death,
and I will continue to enjoy life.’
29 “God does all these things to a person
two or even three times
30 so he won’t die as punishment for his sins
and so he may still enjoy life.
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.
33 But if you have nothing to say, then listen to me;
be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.”
34 Then Elihu said:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men;
listen to me, you who know a lot.
3 The ear tests words
as the tongue tastes food.
4 Let’s decide for ourselves what is right,
and let’s learn together what is good.
5 “Job says, ‘I am not guilty,
and God has refused me a fair trial.
6 Instead of getting a fair trial,
I am called a liar.
I have been seriously hurt,
even though I have not sinned.’
7 There is no other man like Job;
he takes insults as if he were drinking water.
8 He keeps company with those who do evil
and spends time with wicked men,
9 because he says, ‘It is no use
to try to please God.’
10 “So listen to me, you who can understand.
God can never do wrong!
It is impossible for the Almighty to do evil.
11 God pays people back for what they have done
and gives them what their actions deserve.
12 Truly God will never do wrong;
the Almighty will never twist what is right.
13 No one chose God to rule over the earth
or put him in charge of the whole world.
14 If God should decide
to take away life and breath,
15 then everyone would die together
and turn back into dust.
16 “If you can understand, hear this;
listen to what I have to say.
17 Can anyone govern who hates what is right?
How can you blame God who is both fair and powerful?
18 God is the one who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’
or to important people, ‘You are evil.’
19 He is not nicer to princes than other people,
nor kinder to rich people than poor people,
because he made them all with his own hands.
20 They can die in a moment, in the middle of the night.
They are struck down, and then they pass away;
powerful people die without help.
21 “God watches where people go;
he sees every step they take.
22 There is no dark place or deep shadow
where those who do evil can hide from him.
23 He does not set a time
for people to come before him for judging.
24 Without asking questions, God breaks powerful people into pieces
and puts others in their place.
25 Because God knows what people do,
he defeats them in the night, and they are crushed.
26 He punishes them for the evil they do
so that everyone else can watch,
27 because they stopped following God
and did not care about any of his ways.
28 The cry of the poor comes to God;
he hears the cry of the needy.
29 But if God keeps quiet, who can blame him?
If he hides his face, who can see him?
God still rules over both nations and persons alike.
30 He keeps the wicked from ruling
and from trapping others.
31 “But suppose someone says to God,
‘I am guilty, but I will not sin anymore.
32 Teach me what I cannot see.
If I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’
33 So, Job, should God reward you as you want
when you refuse to change?
You must decide, not I,
so tell me what you know.
34 “Those who understand speak,
and the wise who hear me say,
35 ‘Job speaks without knowing what is true;
his words show he does not understand.’
36 I wish Job would be tested completely,
because he answered like an evil man!
37 Job now adds to his sin by turning against God.
He claps his hands in protest,
speaking more and more against God.”
The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.