Elihu’s appeal to be heard

¹But now, listen to me, Job;

²Notice that I am opening my mouth;

my tongue is speaking in my mouth.

³My words come from a virtuous heart;

my lips speak knowledge clearly.

⁴God’s spirit made me;

the Almighty’s breath enlivens me.

⁵If you are able, answer me;

lay out your case before me and take a stand.

⁶Notice that I’m just like you to God;

I also was pinched from clay.

⁷Surely fear of me shouldn’t scare you;

my pressure on you shouldn’t be heavy.

The argument

⁸You certainly said in my hearing;

I heard the sound of your words:

⁹“I’m pure, without sin;

¹⁰Notice that he invents arguments against me;

¹²Now you’re wrong about this; I’ll answer you,

for God is greater than anybody.

¹³Why do you contend with him,

saying that he doesn’t answer all your words?

¹⁴God speaks in one way,

in two ways, but no one perceives it.

¹⁵In the dream, a vision of the night,

when deep sleep falls upon humans,

¹⁶then he opens people’s ears,

¹⁷to turn them from a deed

¹⁸He keeps one from the pit,

a life from perishing by the sword.

¹⁹Or a person may be disciplined by pain

while in bed, bones ever aching

²⁰until a person loathes food,

²¹the flesh wastes away, no longer visible;

²²A life approaches the pit;

its very being draws near the death dealers.

²³Surely there’s a messenger for this person,

a mediator, one out of a thousand

to declare one’s integrity to another

²⁴so that God has compassion on that person and says,

²⁵That person’s flesh is renewed like a child’s;

they regain their youth.

²⁶They pray to God, and God is pleased with them;

they behold God’s presence

with a joyful shout.

God rewards a person’s righteousness.

²⁷They sing before people and say:

“I have sinned, perverted justice,

but didn’t experience the consequences.

²⁸He ransomed me from crossing into the pit;

my life beholds light.”

²⁹Look, God does all this,

³⁰to bring them back from the pit,

³¹Listen, Job; hear me;

be quiet, and I will speak.

³²If you have words, answer me;

speak, for I want to be innocent.

³³If not, you must hear me;

be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.