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Elihu Rebukes Job’s Friends

32So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. ²Then Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became angry. He was angry at Job because he justified himself rather than God; ³he was angry also at Job’s three friends because they had found no answer, though they had declared Job to be in the wrong.^{* 4}Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job, because they were older than he. ⁵But when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouths of these three men, he became angry.

6 Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite answered:
‘I am young in years,
   and you are aged;
therefore I was timid and afraid
   to declare my opinion to you.
⁷ I said, “Let days speak,
   and many years teach wisdom.”
⁸ But truly it is the spirit in a mortal,
   the breath of the Almighty,^* that makes for understanding.
⁹ It is not the old^* that are wise,
   nor the aged that understand what is right.
¹⁰ Therefore I say, “Listen to me;
   let me also declare my opinion.”

¹¹ ‘See, I waited for your words,
   I listened for your wise sayings,
   while you searched out what to say.
¹² I gave you my attention,
   but there was in fact no one that confuted Job,
   no one among you that answered his words.
¹³ Yet do not say, “We have found wisdom;
   God may vanquish him, not a human.”
¹⁴ He has not directed his words against me,
   and I will not answer him with your speeches.

¹⁵ ‘They are dismayed, they answer no more;
   they have not a word to say.
¹⁶ And am I to wait, because they do not speak,
   because they stand there, and answer no more?
¹⁷ I also will give my answer;
   I also will declare my opinion.
¹⁸ For I am full of words;
   the spirit within me constrains me.
¹⁹ My heart is indeed like wine that has no vent;
   like new wineskins, it is ready to burst.
²⁰ I must speak, so that I may find relief;
   I must open my lips and answer.
²¹ I will not show partiality to any person
   or use flattery towards anyone.
²² For I do not know how to flatter—
   or my Maker would soon put an end to me!