Job 32 Common English Bible

Introduction of Elihu

32 These three men stopped answering Job because he thought he was righteous.^[a] ²Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite from the clan of Ram was angry, angry with Job because he considered himself more righteous than God. ³He was also angry with his three friends because they hadn’t found an answer but nevertheless thought Job wicked. ⁴Elihu had waited while Job spoke, for they were older than he. ⁵When Elihu saw that there had been no response in the speeches of the three men, he became very angry.

Elihu’s justification for speaking

⁶Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite said:
I’m young and you’re old,
    so I held back, afraid to express my opinion to you.
⁷I thought, Let days speak;
    let multiple years make wisdom known.
⁸But the spirit in a person,
    the Almighty’s breath, gives understanding.
⁹The advanced in days aren’t wise;
    the old don’t understand what’s right.
¹⁰Therefore, I say: “Listen to me;
    I’ll state my view, even I.”
¹¹Look, I waited while you spoke,
    listened while you reasoned,
    while you searched for words.
¹²I was attentive to you,
    but you offered no rebuke to Job,
    no answer from you for his words.
¹³Be careful you don’t say, “We’ve found wisdom;
    God, not a person, will defeat him.”

¹⁴Now Job^[b] hasn’t addressed me,
    and I won’t quote you to him.
¹⁵They are troubled, no longer answer;
    words now escape them.
¹⁶I waited, but they didn’t speak,
    for they stood but answered no more.
¹⁷I will answer. Indeed, I will state^[c] my piece;
    I too will declare my view,
¹⁸        for I’m full of words.
The spirit in my belly compels me.
¹⁹    Look, my belly is like unopened wine;
        like new wineskins it will burst.
²⁰I will speak and get relief;
    I will open my lips and respond.
²¹I won’t be partial to anyone,
        won’t flatter a person;
²²        for I don’t know flattery;
    otherwise my maker would quickly whisk me away.