Elihu Rebukes Job's Three Friends

¹So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. ²Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God. ³He burned with anger also at Job's three friends because they had found no answer, although they had declared Job to be in the wrong. ⁴Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. ⁵And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger.

⁶And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said:

“I am young in years,

and you are aged;

therefore I was timid and afraid

to declare my opinion to you.

⁷I said, ‘Let days speak,

and many years teach wisdom.’

⁸But it is the spirit in man,

the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.

⁹It is not the old1 who are wise,

nor the aged who understand what is right.

¹⁰Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;

let me also declare my opinion.’

¹¹“Behold, I waited for your words,

I listened for your wise sayings,

while you searched out what to say.

¹²I gave you my attention,

and, behold, there was none among you who refuted Job

or who answered his words.

¹³Beware lest you say, ‘We have found wisdom;

God may vanquish him, not a man.’

¹⁴He 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.

¹⁶And shall I wait, because they do not speak,

because they stand there, and answer no more?

¹⁷I also will answer with my share;

I also will declare my opinion.

¹⁸For I am full of words;

the spirit within me constrains me.

¹⁹Behold, my belly is like wine that has no vent;

like new wineskins ready to burst.

²⁰I must speak, that I may find relief;

I must open my lips and answer.

²¹I will not show partiality to any man

or use flattery toward any person.

²²For I do not know how to flatter,

else my Maker would soon take me away.