V. The Speeches of Elihu (32:1-37:24)
Elihu’s First Speech32:1 So these three men refused to answer Job further, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 32:2 Then Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry. He was angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God. 32:3 With Job’s three friends he was also angry, because they could not find an answer, and so declared Job guilty. 32:4 Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job, because the others were older than he was. 32:5 But when Elihu saw that the three men had no further reply, he became very angry.
32:6 So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite spoke up:
“I am young, but you are elderly;
that is why I was fearful,
and afraid to explain to you what I know.
32:7 I said to myself, ‘Age should speak,
and length of years should make wisdom known.’
32:8 But it is a spirit in people,
the breath of the Almighty,
that makes them understand.
32:9 It is not the aged who are wise,
nor old men who understand what is right.
32:10 Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me.
I, even I, will explain what I know.’
32:11 Look, I waited for you to speak;
I listened closely to your wise thoughts,while you were searching for words.
32:12 Now I was paying you close attention,
yet there was no one proving Job wrong,
not one of you was answering his statements!
32:13 So do not say, ‘We have found wisdom!
God will refute him, not man!’
32:14 Job has not directed his words to me,
and so I will not reply to him with your arguments.
32:15 “They are dismayed and cannot answer any more;
they have nothing left to say.
32:16 And I have waited. But because they do not speak,
because they stand there and answer no more,
32:17 I too will answer my part,
I too will explain what I know.
32:18 For I am full of words,
and the spirit within me constrains me.
32:19 Inside I am like wine which has no outlet,
like new wineskins ready to burst!
32:20 I will speak, so that I may find relief;
I will open my lips, so that I may answer.
32:21 I will not show partiality to anyone,
nor will I confer a title on any man.
32:22 for I do not know how to give honorary titles,
if I did, my Creator would quickly do away with me.
33:1 “But now, O Job, listen to my words,
and hear everything I have to say!
33:2 See now, I have opened my mouth;
my tongue in my mouth has spoken.
33:3 My words come from the uprightness of my heart,
and my lips will utter knowledge sincerely.
33:4 The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
33:5 Reply to me, if you can;
set your arguments in order before me
and take your stand!
33:6 Look, I am just like you in relation to God;
I too have been molded from clay.
33:7 Therefore no fear of me should terrify you,
nor should my pressure be heavy on you.
33:8 “Indeed, you have said in my hearing
(I heard the sound of the words!):
33:9 ‘I am pure, without transgression;
I am clean and have no iniquity.
33:10 Yet God finds occasions with me;
he regards me as his enemy!
33:11 He puts my feet in shackles;
he watches closely all my paths.’
33:12 Now in this, you are not right – I answer you,
for God is greater than a human being.
33:13 Why do you contend against him,
that he does not answer all a person’s words?
33:14 “For God speaks, the first time in one way,
the second time in another,
though a person does not perceive it.
33:15 In a dream, a night vision,
when deep sleep falls on people
as they sleep in their beds.
33:16 Then he gives a revelation to people,
and terrifies them with warnings,
33:17 to turn a person from his sin,
and to cover a person’s pride.
33:18 He spares a person’s life from corruption,
his very life from crossing over the river.
33:19 Or a person is chastened by pain on his bed,
and with the continual strife of his bones,
33:20 so that his life loathes food,
and his soul rejects appetizing fare.
33:21 His flesh wastes away from sight,
and his bones, which were not seen,
are easily visible.
33:22 He draws near to the place of corruption,
and his life to the messengers of death.
33:23 If there is an angel beside him,
one mediator out of a thousand,
to tell a person what constitutes his uprightness;
33:24 and if God is gracious to him and says,
‘Spare him from going down
to the place of corruption,
I have found a ransom for him,’
33:25 then his flesh is restored like a youth’s;
he returns to the days of his youthful vigor.
33:26 He entreats God, and God delights in him,
he sees God’s face with rejoicing,
and God restores to him his righteousness.
33:27 That person sings to others, saying:
‘I have sinned and falsified what is right,
but I was not punished according to what I deserved.
33:28 He redeemed my life
from going down to the place of corruption,
and my life sees the light!’
33:29 “Indeed, God does all these things,
twice, three times, in his dealings with a person,
33:30 to turn back his life from the place of corruption,
that he may be enlightened with the light of life.
33:31 Pay attention, Job – listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
33:32 If you have any words, reply to me;
speak, for I want to justify you.
33:33 If not, you listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”
34:1 Elihu answered:
34:2 “Listen to my words, you wise men;
hear me, you learned men.
34:3 For the ear assesses words
as the mouth tastes food.
34:4 Let us evaluate for ourselves what is right;
let us come to know among ourselves what is good.
34:5 For Job says, ‘I am innocent,
but God turns away my right.
34:6 Concerning my right, should I lie?
My wound is incurable,
although I am without transgression.’
34:7 What man is like Job,
who drinks derision like water!
34:8 He goes about in company with evildoers,
he goes along with wicked men.
34:9 For he says, ‘It does not profit a man
when he makes his delight with God.’
34:10 “Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding.
Far be it from God to do wickedness,
from the Almighty to do evil.
34:11 For he repays a person for his work,
and according to the conduct of a person,
he causes the consequences to find him.
34:12 Indeed, in truth, God does not act wickedly,
and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
34:13 Who entrusted to him the earth?
And who put him over the whole world?
34:14 If God were to set his heart on it,
and gather in his spirit and his breath,
34:15 all flesh would perish together
and human beings would return to dust.
34:16 “If you have understanding, listen to this,
hear what I have to say.
34:17 Do you really think
that one who hates justice can govern?
And will you declare guilty
the supremely righteous One,
34:18 who says to a king, ‘Worthless man’
and to nobles, ‘Wicked men,’
34:19 who shows no partiality to princes,
and does not take note of the rich more than the poor,
because all of them are the work of his hands?
34:20 In a moment they die, in the middle of the night,
people are shaken and they pass away.
The mighty are removed effortlessly.
34:21 For his eyes are on the ways of an individual,
he observes all a person’s steps.
34:22 There is no darkness, and no deep darkness,
where evildoers can hide themselves.
34:23 For he does not still consider a person,
that he should come before God in judgment.
34:24 He shatters the great without inquiry,
and sets up others in their place.
34:25 Therefore, he knows their deeds,
he overthrows them in the night
and they are crushed.
34:26 He strikes them for their wickedness,
in a place where people can see,
34:27 because they have turned away from following him,
and have not understood any of his ways,
34:28 so that they caused the cry of the poor
to come before him,
so that he hears the cry of the needy.
34:29 But if God is quiet, who can condemn him?
If he hides his face, then who can see him?
Yet he is over the individual and the nation alike,
34:30 so that the godless man should not rule,
and not lay snares for the people.
34:31 “Has anyone said to God,
‘I have endured chastisement,
but I will not act wrongly any more.
34:32 Teach me what I cannot see.
If I have done evil, I will do so no more.’
34:33 Is it your opinion that God should recompense it,
because you reject this?
But you must choose, and not I,
so tell us what you know.
34:34 Men of understanding say to me –
any wise man listening to me says –
34:35 that Job speaks without knowledge
and his words are without understanding.
34:36 But Job will be tested to the end,
because his answers are like those of wicked men.
34:37 For he adds transgression to his sin;
in our midst he claps his hands,
and multiplies his words against God.”
35:1 Then Elihu answered:
35:2 “Do you think this to be just:
when you say, ‘My right before God.’
35:3 But you say, ‘What will it profit you,’
and, ‘What do I gain by not sinning?’
35:4 I will reply to you,
and to your friends with you.
35:5 Gaze at the heavens and see;
consider the clouds, which are higher than you!
35:6 If you sin, how does it affect God?
If your transgressions are many,
what does it do to him?
35:7 If you are righteous, what do you give to God,
or what does he receive from your hand?
35:8 Your wickedness affects only a person like yourself,
and your righteousness only other people.
35:9 “People cry out
because of the excess of oppression;
they cry out for help
because of the power of the mighty.
35:10 But no one says, ‘Where is God, my Creator,
who gives songs in the night,
35:11 who teaches us more than the wild animals of the earth,
and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’
35:12 Then they cry out – but he does not answer –
because of the arrogance of the wicked.
35:13 Surely it is an empty cry – God does not hear it;
the Almighty does not take notice of it.
35:14 How much less, then,
when you say that you do not perceive him,
that the case is before him
and you are waiting for him!
35:15 And further, when you say
that his anger does not punish,
and that he does not know transgression!
35:16 So Job opens his mouth to no purpose;
without knowledge he multiplies words.”
36:1 Elihu said further:
36:2 “Be patient with me a little longer
and I will instruct you,
for I still have words to speak on God’s behalf.
36:3 With my knowledge I will speak comprehensively,
and to my Creator I will ascribe righteousness.
36:4 For in truth, my words are not false;
it is one complete in knowledge
who is with you.
36:5 Indeed, God is mighty; and he does not despise people,
he is mighty, and firm in his intent.
36:6 He does not allow the wicked to live,
but he gives justice to the poor.
36:7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous;
but with kings on the throne
he seats the righteous and exalts them forever.
36:8 But if they are bound in chains,
and held captive by the cords of affliction,
36:9 then he reveals to them what they have done,
and their transgressions,
that they were behaving proudly.
36:10 And he reveals this for correction,
and says that they must turn from evil.
36:11 If they obey and serve him,
they live out their days in prosperity
and their years in pleasantness.
36:12 But if they refuse to listen,
they pass over the river of death,
and expire without knowledge.
36:13 The godless at heart nourish anger,
they do not cry out even when he binds them.
36:14 They die in their youth,
and their life ends among the male cultic prostitutes.
36:15 He delivers the afflicted by their afflictions,
he reveals himself to them by their suffering.
36:16 And surely, he drew you from the mouth of distress,
to a wide place, unrestricted,
and to the comfort of your table
filled with rich food.
36:17 But now you are preoccupied with the judgment due the wicked,
judgment and justice take hold of you.
36:18 Be careful that no one entices you with riches;
do not let a large bribe turn you aside.
36:19 Would your wealth sustain you,
so that you would not be in distress,
even all your mighty efforts?
36:20 Do not long for the cover of night
to drag people away from their homes.
36:21 Take heed, do not turn to evil,
for because of this you have been tested by affliction.
36:22 Indeed, God is exalted in his power;
who is a teacher like him?
36:23 Who has prescribed his ways for him?
Or said to him, ‘You have done what is wicked’?
36:24 Remember to extol his work,
which people have praised in song.
36:25 All humanity has seen it;
people gaze on it from afar.
36:26 “Yes, God is great – beyond our knowledge!
The number of his years is unsearchable.
36:27 He draws up drops of water;
they distill the rain into its mist,
36:28 which the clouds pour down
and shower on humankind abundantly.
36:29 Who can understand the spreading of the clouds,
the thunderings of his pavilion?
36:30 See how he scattered his lightning about him;
he has covered the depths of the sea.
36:31 It is by these that he judges the nations
and supplies food in abundance.
36:32 With his hands he covers the lightning,
and directs it against its target.
36:33 His thunder announces the coming storm,
the cattle also, concerning the storm’s approach.
37:1 At this also my heart pounds
and leaps from its place.
37:2 Listen carefully to the thunder of his voice,
to the rumbling that proceeds from his mouth.
37:3 Under the whole heaven he lets it go,
even his lightning to the far corners of the earth.
37:4 After that a voice roars;
he thunders with an exalted voice,
and he does not hold back his lightning bolts
when his voice is heard.
37:5 God thunders with his voice in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.
37:6 For to the snow he says, ‘Fall to earth,’
and to the torrential rains, ‘Pour down.’
37:7 He causes everyone to stop working,
so that all people may know his work.
37:8 The wild animals go to their lairs,
and in their dens they remain.
37:9 A tempest blows out from its chamber,
icy cold from the driving winds.
37:10 The breath of God produces ice,
and the breadth of the waters freeze solid.
37:11 He loads the clouds with moisture;
he scatters his lightning through the clouds.
37:12 The clouds go round in circles,
wheeling about according to his plans,
to carry out all that he commands them
over the face of the whole inhabited world.
37:13 Whether it is for punishment for his land,
or whether it is for mercy,
he causes it to find its mark.
37:14 “Pay attention to this, Job!
Stand still and consider the wonders God works.
37:15 Do you know how God commands them,
how he makes lightning flash in his storm cloud?
37:16 Do you know about the balancing of the clouds,
that wondrous activity of him who is perfect in knowledge?
37:17 You, whose garments are hot
when the earth is still because of the south wind,
37:18 will you, with him, spread out the clouds,
solid as a mirror of molten metal?
37:19 Tell us what we should say to him.
We cannot prepare a case
because of the darkness.
37:20 Should he be informed that I want to speak?
If a man speaks, surely he would be swallowed up!
37:21 But now, the sun cannot be looked at –
it is bright in the skies –
after a wind passed and swept the clouds away.
37:22 From the north he comes in golden splendor;
around God is awesome majesty.
37:23 As for the Almighty, we cannot attain to him!
He is great in power,
but justice and abundant righteousness he does not oppress.
37:24 Therefore people fear him,
for he does not regard all the wise in heart.”