32
Elihu replied to Job and his three friends
1 Then those three men stopped answering Job, because they could not convince Job that he was wrong in claiming that he had not done anything that was wrong.
2 Then Elihu, the son of Barachel, a descendant of Buz, from the clan of Ram, became very angry at Job. He was angry because Job continued to claim that he was righteous/innocent, and that God was wrong to punish him.
3 He was also angry with Job’s three friends, because they had declared that Job must have done many things that were wrong, but they were unable to convince Job that what they said was true. As a result, it seemed to Elihu that God did what was wrong by punishing Job.
4 Elihu was younger than the others, so he waited until they had finished speaking before he replied to Job.
5 But when Elihu realized that the three men had no more to say [MTY] to Job, he became angry.
6 And this is what he said:
“I am young, and you all are much older than I am.
So, I was timid, and I was afraid to tell you what I was thinking.
7 I thought, ‘Let those [PRS] who are much older speak,
because older people should be able to say things that are wise.’
8 But the Spirit of Almighty God is within people, and it is he who enables them to be wise.
9 It is not people becoming old that enables them to be wise;
not all old people understand what is right.
10 “So, I say, ‘Listen to me,
and allow me to say what I think.’
11 I waited for you all to speak;
I wanted to hear the wise things that you would say.
I waited while you thought carefully about what would be the right things to say.
12 I paid attention carefully,
but surprisingly, none of you were able to prove that what Job said was wrong.
13 So, do not say to yourselves, ‘We have discovered what is wise!’
It is God who must ◄refute Job/show that what Job said was wrong►, because you three have not been able to do that.
14 Job was replying to you, not to me,
but I will not reply to him by saying what you three said.
15 “You three are dismayed because you have not been able to convince him that he was wrong,
so you are not saying any more to him [DOU].
16 But because you do not speak, I certainly will not wait any longer [RHQ];
you merely stand there and do not reply any more.
17 So now I also will reply to Job
and say what I think.
18 I have plenty to say,
and my spirit compels me to say it.
19 My inner being is like [SIM] a ◄wineskin/bag that has <new/fermenting> wine in it►,
and it will soon burst.
20 I must speak [MTY], in order that I do not have to keep holding what I want to say;
I must say something [MTY] to reply to you all.
21 I will speak fairly, not favoring any of you,
and I will not try to flatter anyone.
22 I really do not know how to flatter people;
and if I did that, God would soon get rid of me.”