Elihu Rebukes Job and His Three Friends

32 Then these three men ceased from answering Job because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 So Elihu the son of Barakel the Buzite, from the clan of Ram, became angry.[fn]He became angry[fn] at Job because he justified himself rather than God, 3 and he became angry[fn] at his three friends because they had not found an answer, and they had declared Job guilty. 4 Thus Elihu had waited for Job to speak[fn] becausethey were older than he.[fn] 5 When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men, he became angry.[fn]

• 6 Then Elihu the son of Barakel the Buzite spoke up[fn] and said,“[fn] but[fn] you[fn] are old;
• therefore I feared and became afraid of explaining my knowledge to you.[fn]
• 7 [fn] ‘Let days[fn] speak, and let many years teach wisdom.’
• 8 is a spirit in a human being, and the breath of Shaddai teaches them.
• 9 It is not[fn] who are wise, or[fn] it is not the elders who understand justice.
• 10  let me also declare my knowledge myself.’
• 11 [fn] words; I listened for your[fn] insight,
• until you searched out[fn]
• 12 [fn] and, look, there is no one for Job who refuted,
• answering his words among you.
• 13  let God refute him, not a man.’
• 14 [fn] he did not direct his words[fn] to me,and I will not answer him with your[fn] words.
• 15 [fn]
• 16  because they stand there and no longer answer.
• 17  I myself will declare my knowledge also,
• 18 [fn][fn] urges me.
• 19 are like unopened wine, like new wineskins it[fn] is ready to burst open.
• 20 [fn] let me open my lips, and let me answer.
• 21 [fn] and let me not show flattery to human beings,
• 22 how[fn] else my Maker would[fn] put an end to me.