Chapter 32

Elihu is upset with Job's three friends

¹Job would not agree that he had done anything that was wrong. So his three friends refused to argue with him any more.

²Another man was also there. His name was Elihu, Barakel's son. Barakel was a descendant of Buz. He belonged to Ram's clan .

Elihu became very angry with Job. He was angry because Job continued to say that he was not guilty . Job said that God was wrong to punish him.

³Elihu was also angry with Job's three friends. They had not been able to find an answer to Job's problem. But they still said that Job was guilty.

⁴Elihu had waited for Job's three friends to speak before he spoke to Job himself. He waited because he was younger than them.

⁵But he became angry when Job's three friends had nothing more to say. So he finally decided to speak.

⁶Barakel's son, Elihu, said this:

‘I am young and you are old.

So I was afraid to tell you what I was thinking.

⁷I thought, “Older men should speak.

They have lived for many years and they should share their wisdom .”

⁸But it is a person's spirit that helps them to understand things.

Almighty God has to put his breath into them.

⁹Not all old people are wise .

Old people do not always understand what is right.

¹⁰So I say, “Listen to me.

I too will explain what I know.”

¹¹Yes, I waited for you all to speak.

I listened to your wise thoughts,

as you tried to find the right words to say.

¹²I listened carefully to you,

as you argued with Job.

But none of you could show Job that he was wrong.

None of you was able to answer his problems.

¹³So do not say, “We are wise.”

Do not say, “God must show Job that he is wrong.

People cannot do that.”

¹⁴Job was not speaking to me about his problems.

So I will not answer him in the way that you did.

¹⁵Now they are confused!

They have no more answers to give.

There is nothing more that they can say.

¹⁶I have waited for them,

and now they say nothing.

They stand there and they have no more answers.

¹⁷So now I will say what I think.

I, too, will tell you what I know.

¹⁸There are many things that I want to say.

The spirit inside me causes me to speak.

¹⁹I cannot keep quiet any longer!

I am like a bag that is full of new wine .

I am ready to break

so that everything pours out!

²⁰So I have to speak or I will become ill.

I must open my mouth and reply to you.

²¹I will be fair in what I say.

I will not give honour to anyone to get their help.

²²I am too honest to do that.

If I am not fair,

God, my Maker , would quickly remove me.’