Elihu in Anger Rebukes Job

1Then these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram burned; against Job his anger burned because he justified himself before God. 3And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. 4Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were years older than he. 5And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men his anger burned.

6So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite spoke out and said,

“I am young in years and you are old;

Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you what I think.

7I thought age should speak,

And increased years should teach wisdom.

8But it is a spirit in man,

And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.

9The abundant in years may not be wise,

Nor may elders understand justice.

10So I say, ‘Listen to me,

I too will tell what I think.’

11“Behold, I waited for your words,

I listened to your reasonings,

While you pondered what to say.

12I even paid close attention to you;

Indeed, there was no one who refuted Job,

Not one of you who answered his words.

13Do not say,

‘We have found wisdom;

God will rout him, not man.’

14For he has not arranged his words against me,

Nor will I reply to him with your arguments.

15“They are dismayed, they no longer answer;

Words have failed them.

16Shall I wait, because they do not speak,

Because they stop and no longer answer?

17I too will answer my share,

I also will tell my opinion.

18For I am full of words;

The spirit within me constrains me.

19Behold, my belly is like unvented wine,

Like new wineskins it is about to burst.

20Let me speak that I may get relief;

Let me open my lips and answer.

21Let me now be partial to no one,

Nor flatter any man.

22For I do not know how to flatter,

Else my Maker would soon take me away.

Elihu Claims to Speak for God

1“However now, Job, please hear my speech,

And listen to all my words.

2Behold now, I open my mouth,

My tongue in my mouth speaks.

3My words are from the uprightness of my heart,

And my lips speak knowledge sincerely.

4The Spirit of God has made me,

And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

5Refute me if you can;

Array yourselves before me, take your stand.

6Behold, I belong to God like you;

I too have been formed out of the clay.

7Behold, no fear of me should terrify you,

Nor should my pressure weigh heavily on you.

8“Surely you have spoken in my hearing,

And I have heard the sound of your words:

9‘I am pure, without transgression;

I am innocent and there is no guilt in me.

10Behold, He invents pretexts against me;

He counts me as His enemy.

11He puts my feet in the stocks;

He watches all my paths.’

12Behold, let me tell you, you are not right in this,

For God is greater than man.

13“Why do you complain against Him

That He does not give an account of all His doings?

14Indeed God speaks once,

Or twice, yet no one notices it.

15In a dream, a vision of the night,

When sound sleep falls on men,

While they slumber in their beds,

16Then He opens the ears of men,

And seals their instruction,

17That He may turn man aside from his conduct,

And keep man from pride;

18He keeps back his soul from the pit,

And his life from passing over into Sheol.

19“Man is also chastened with pain on his bed,

And with unceasing complaint in his bones;

20So that his life loathes bread,

And his soul favorite food.

21His flesh wastes away from sight,

And his bones which were not seen stick out.

22Then his soul draws near to the pit,

And his life to those who bring death.

23“If there is an angel as mediator for him,

One out of a thousand,

To remind a man what is right for him,

24Then let him be gracious to him, and say,

‘Deliver him from going down to the pit,

I have found a ransom’;

25Let his flesh become fresher than in youth,

Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor;

26Then he will pray to God, and He will accept him,

That he may see His face with joy,

And He may restore His righteousness to man.

27He will sing to men and say,

‘I have sinned and perverted what is right,

And it is not proper for me.

28He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit,

And my life shall see the light.’

29“Behold, God does all these oftentimes with men,

30To bring back his soul from the pit,

That he may be enlightened with the light of life.

31Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;

Keep silent, and let me speak.

32Then if you have anything to say, answer me;

Speak, for I desire to justify you.

33If not, listen to me;

Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

Elihu Vindicates God’s Justice

1Then Elihu continued and said,

2“Hear my words, you wise men,

And listen to me, you who know.

3For the ear tests words

As the palate tastes food.

4Let us choose for ourselves what is right;

Let us know among ourselves what is good.

5For Job has said, ‘I am righteous,

But God has taken away my right;

6Should I lie concerning my right?

My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’

7What man is like Job,

Who drinks up derision like water,

8Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity,

And walks with wicked men?

9For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing

When he is pleased with God.’

10“Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding.

Far be it from God to do wickedness,

And from the Almighty to do wrong.

11For He pays a man according to his work,

And makes him find it according to his way.

12Surely, God will not act wickedly,

And the Almighty will not pervert justice.

13Who gave Him authority over the earth?

And who has laid on Him the whole world?

14If He should determine to do so,

If He should gather to Himself His spirit and His breath,

15All flesh would perish together,

And man would return to dust.

16“But if you have understanding, hear this;

Listen to the sound of my words.

17Shall one who hates justice rule?

And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,

18Who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’

To nobles, ‘Wicked ones’;

19Who shows no partiality to princes

Nor regards the rich above the poor,

For they all are the work of His hands?

20In a moment they die, and at midnight

People are shaken and pass away,

And the mighty are taken away without a hand.

21“For His eyes are upon the ways of a man,

And He sees all his steps.

22There is no darkness or deep shadow

Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

23For He does not need to consider a man further,

That he should go before God in judgment.

24He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry,

And sets others in their place.

25Therefore He knows their works,

And He overthrows them in the night,

And they are crushed.

26He strikes them like the wicked

In a public place,

27Because they turned aside from following Him,

And had no regard for any of His ways;

28So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him,

And that He might hear the cry of the afflicted—

29When He keeps quiet, who then can condemn?

And when He hides His face, who then can behold Him,

That is, in regard to both nation and man?—

30So that godless men would not rule

Nor be snares of the people.

31“For has anyone said to God,

‘I have borne chastisement;

I will not offend anymore;

32Teach me what I do not see;

If I have done iniquity,

I will not do it again’?

33Shall He recompense on your terms, because you have rejected it?

For you must choose, and not I;

Therefore declare what you know.

34Men of understanding will say to me,

And a wise man who hears me,

35‘Job speaks without knowledge,

And his words are without wisdom.

36Job ought to be tried to the limit,

Because he answers like wicked men.

37For he adds rebellion to his sin;

He claps his hands among us,

And multiplies his words against God.’ ”