Beginning
32 ¶ So these three men ceased to answer Job because he was righteous in his own eyes.
2 Then the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel, the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram, was kindled; against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.
3 Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.
4 Now Elihu had waited until Job had spoken because they were all elder than he.
5 But when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled.
6 ¶ And Elihu, the son of Barachel, the Buzite, answered and said, I am younger, and ye are older; therefore, I was afraid, and I feared to declare unto you my opinion.
7 I said, Days shall speak, and the multitude of years shall declare wisdom.
8 Certainly there is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty gives them understanding.
9 Great men are not always wise; neither do the aged understand judgment.
10 Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will declare my knowledge.
11 Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your arguments, while ye searched out what to say.
12 Even so, I attended unto you, and, behold, there was none of you to reprove Job or to answer his words.
13 Lest ye should say, We have found out wisdom; it is needful that God thrust him down, and not man.
14 Now he has not directed his words against me; neither will I answer him with your reasons.
15 ¶ They were amazed, they answered no more; they left off speaking.
16 And I waited, (for they did not speak, but stopped, and answered no more);
17 I said, I will also answer my part, I will also declare my opinion.
18 For I am full of words; the spirit within me constrains me.
19 Behold, my belly is as wine which has no vent; it is ready to burst forth like spirits.
20 I will speak, that I may be able to breathe; I will open my lips and answer.
21 I will not now be a respecter of persons, neither will I give flattering titles unto man.
22 For I do not know how to give flattering titles; otherwise my maker would soon take me away.
33 ¶ Therefore, Job, hear now my reasons, and hearken to all my words.
2 Behold, now I shall open my mouth, my tongue shall speak in my mouth.
3 My reasons declare the uprightness of my heart; and my lips shall utter pure knowledge.
4 The Spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty gave me life.
5 If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up.
6 Behold, I am according to thy wish in God’s stead; I also am formed out of the clay.
7 Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.
8 ¶ Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,
9 I am clean without rebellion, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.
10 Behold, God sought occasions against me, he counts me for his enemy,
11 he put my feet in the stocks, he guards all my paths.
12 Behold, in this thou art not just; I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.
13 Why dost thou strive against him? For he will not answer all of thy words.
14 ¶ Nevertheless, in one or two manners God speaks to the one who does not see.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
16 then he opens the ears of men and seals their instruction,
17 that he may withdraw the man from his own work and cover the man from pride.
18 Thus he keeps back his soul from the pit and his life from perishing by the sword.
19 ¶ He is chastened also upon his bed with strong pain in all his bones,
20 so that his life abhors bread and his soul dainty food.
21 His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out.
22 His soul shall draw near to the grave, and his life to those that would bury him.
23 If there is a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show unto man his uprightness;
24 to tell him that God had mercy on him, that he delivered him from going down to the pit; that he found a ransom;
25 his flesh shall become more tender than a child’s; and he shall return to the days of his youth.
26 He shall pray unto God, and he will love him; and he shall see his face with shouts of joy; for he will render unto the man the recompense of his righteousness.
27 He looks upon men, and if any say, I have sinned and perverted that which was right, and it did not profit me;
28 God will ransom his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.
29 ¶ Behold, God does all these things two and three times with man,
30 to turn back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.
31 Hear me, O Job, hearken unto me; be silent, and I will speak.
32 If thou hast anything to say, answer me; speak, for I desire to justify thee.
33 If not, hearken unto me; be silent, and I shall teach thee wisdom.
34 ¶ Furthermore, Elihu answered and said,
2 Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
3 For the ear tries words, as the mouth tastes food.
4 Let us choose our judgment; let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job has said, I am righteous; and God has taken away my right.
6 In my judgment he was a liar, my arrow wound is grievous without my having committed a transgression.
7 What man is like Job, who drinks up the scorn like water?
8 Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, and walks with wicked men.
9 For he said, It shall profit a man nothing that he should conform his will with God.
10 ¶ Therefore, hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
11 For he shall pay man according to his work and cause every man to find according to his ways.
12 Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.
13 Who visited the earth for him? And who set the whole world in order?
14 If he were to set his heart upon man and gather unto himself his spirit and his breath,
15 all flesh would perish together, and man would turn again unto dust.
16 ¶ If now thou hast understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words.
17 Shall even he that hates judgment govern? And wilt thou condemn the Mighty One that is righteous?
18 Is it fit to say to the king, Thou art of Belial and to the princes, Ye are ungodly?
19 How much less to him who is not a respecter of the persons of princes, nor respects the rich more than the poor; for they all are the work of his hands.
20 In a moment they shall die, and the peoples shall be troubled at midnight and shall pass away; and the mighty shall be taken away without hand.
21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he sees all his steps.
22 There is no darkness nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 For he will not lay upon man more than that which is just; that he should enter into judgment with God.
24 He shall break in pieces mighty men without number and set others in their stead.
25 Therefore, he shall cause their works to be notorious, when he shall overturn them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
26 He shall strike them as wicked men in the open sight of others
27 because thus they turned back from him and would not consider any of his ways
28 so that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he hears the cry of the afflicted.
29 When he gives rest, who then can make trouble? If he hides his face, who then can behold him? This applies to a nation and the same to a man,
30 that the hypocrite not reign, lest the people be ensnared.
31 ¶ For it is of God to say, I have forgiven, I will no longer destroy.
32 Teach me that which I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more.
33 Will he perchance finish his work by thee; whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose, or by me? Speak what thou knowest.
34 The men of understanding will say as I say, and the wise man will hearken unto me.
35 Job has spoken without knowledge, and his words were without prudence.
36 My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end, that there may be answers against wicked men.
37 For he added rebellion unto his sin, he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.
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