Beginning
Young Elihu Speaks
32 So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 Then Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite of the clan of Ram became very angry. He was angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. 3 He was also angry with his three friends because they had not found an answer, and yet had condemned Job. 4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older. 5 When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his anger was aroused.
6 Then Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite responded and said:
“I am young in days and you are old;
that is why I was timid
and dared not to tell what I know.
7 I thought, ‘Let days speak,
and many years teach wisdom.’[a]
8 But there is a spirit in people,
the breath of Shaddai that gives them understanding.
9 It is not only the aged who are wise
or old men who understand justice.
10 “Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me!
I, even I, will explain what I know.’
11 Look, I waited for your words,
I listened to your reasoning;
while you were searching for words
12 I gave you my full attention.
But behold, no one proved Job wrong;
none among you, answered his statements.
13 Lest you should say, ‘We have found wisdom;
let God refute him, not man!’
14 Job has not directed his words to me
and I will not respond to him with your arguments.
15 “They are dismayed and no longer reply;
words have failed them.
16 Must I wait, since they no longer speak
since they stand there with no reply?
17 I too will answer my part;
I too will declare what I know.
18 For I am full of words,
and the spirit within me compels me;
19 inside I am like wine that has no opening,
like new wineskins ready to burst.
20 I must speak that I may find relief;
I will open my lips that I may answer.
21 I will show partiality to no one,
nor will I flatter anyone;
22 for I do not know how to flatter
else my Maker would quickly carry me away!
33 “But now, Job, listen to my words
and give ear to everything I say.
2 See now, I open my mouth;
my tongue in my mouth speaks.
3 My words are from my upright heart;
my lips speak sincerely what they know.
4 “The Ruach of God has made me;
the breath of Shaddai gives me life.
5 Answer me, if you can;
array yourselves before me;
take your stand!
6 Look, I am the same as you before God;
I too am formed from clay.
7 See, no fear of me should terrify you,
nor should my pressure be heavy on you.
8 “Indeed, you have said in my hearing,
—I heard the sound of the words:
9 ‘I am pure, without transgression;
I am innocent, without iniquity.
10 Yet, He has found fault with me;
He considers me His enemy.
11 He puts my feet in the shackles;
He watches closely all my paths.’
12 “But in this, you are not right—
I answer you, for God is greater than a mortal.
13 Why do you contend against Him
that He does not answer all His words.
14 Indeed, God speaks once, even twice,
yet no one perceives it.
15 “In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on men, as they slumber in bed,
16 Then He opens the ears of men
and seals their instruction,
17 in order to turn a man from his conduct
and to cover a person’s pride.
18 He spares his soul from the Pit
and his life from perishing by the sword.
19 Or a person is chastened with pain on his bed,
with continual strife in his bones,
20 so that his life loathes bread,
and his soul, desirable food.
21 His flesh wastes away from sight,
and his bones, once unseen, now stick out.
22 His soul draws near to the Pit
and his life to the messengers of death.
23 “If there is an angel beside him, a messenger, one out of a thousand,
to declare to a man his uprightness,
24 then He is gracious to him, and says
‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit—
I have found a ransom;’
25 let his flesh be restored like a child’s;
let him return to the days of his youth.’
26 He entreats God and is accepted by Him;
he sees His face with a shout of joy;
He restores to the man his righteousness.
27 He sings to others, saying,
‘I have sinned and perverted what is right,
but I did not get what I deserved.
28 He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit,
and my life sees the light.’
29 “Indeed, God does all these things,
twice, even three times with a man,
30 to bring his soul back from the Pit,
that he may be illuminated with the light of life.
31 Pay attention, Job, listen to me;
Be silent, and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me.
Speak, for I want to justify you.
33 If not, then listen to me.
Be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
Testing Job’s Claims
34 Then Elihu answered:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men;
give ear to me, you men of learning.
3 For the ear tests words
as the mouth tastes food.
4 Let us choose for ourselves what is right;
Let us learn together what is good.
5 “For Job says, ‘I am righteous,
but God has deprived me of justice.
6 Concerning my right, should I lie?
My wound is incurable, although I am without transgression.’
7 What man is like Job,
who drinks mockery like water,
8 who keeps company with evildoers,
and walks with wicked men?
9 For he says, ‘It does not profit a man
when he makes his delight with God.’
10 “Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding:
Wickedness is far from God, injustice from Shaddai
11 For He repays a person for what he has done,
and brings on the person what he deserves.
12 “Truly God does not act wickedly,
and Shaddai does not pervert justice.
13 Who appointed Him over the earth?
Who put Him over the whole world?
14 “If He were to set His heart on it,
and gather to Himself His Ruach and breath,
15 all flesh would perish together
and mankind would return to dust.[b]
16 “Now if you have understanding, hear this;
give ear to the sound of my words.
17 Can someone who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn the mighty, righteous One?
18 Who says to a king, ‘Worthless man’
and to nobles, ‘Wicked men’!
19 Who shows no partiality before princes,
and does not favor the rich over the poor,
for they are all the work of His hands.
20 They die in a moment, at midnight,
people are shaken and they pass away.
The mighty are removed without a hand.
21 “For His eyes are on the ways of man;
He sees all his steps.
22 There is no gloom and no deep darkness,
where evildoers can hide themselves.
23 For He does not consider a man further
that he should go before God in judgment.
24 He shatters the mighty without inquiry,
and sets others in their place.
25 Thus He recognizes their deeds,
He overturns them in the night and they are crushed.
26 He strikes them for their wickedness
in a place where people can see,
27 because they turned from following Him,
and have not understood any of His ways.
28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him,
so that He hears the cry of the afflicted.
29 “But if He is quiet, who can condemn Him?
If He hides His face, who can see Him?
Yet He is over a nation and an individual alike,
30 so that godless men should not rule,
nor lay snares for people.
31 “Suppose someone says to God, ‘I have born chastisement,
but I will not act wickedly any more.
32 Teach me what I cannot see.
If I have done evil, I will not do it again.’
33 Should He requite it on your terms,
because you reject it?
But you must choose and not I;
now declare what you know.
34 “Men of understanding declare,
wise men who hear me say to me,
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge,
and his words lack understanding.’
36 Oh, that Job might be tested to the end,
for answering like wicked men.
37 For he adds rebellion to his sin;
in our midst he claps his hands
and multiplies his words against God.”
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.