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] because ⌊they 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,

• “ I am young ,[fn] but[fn] you[fn] are old;
• therefore I feared and became afraid of explaining my knowledge to you.[fn]
• 7 I thought,[fn] ‘Let days[fn] speak, and let many years teach wisdom.’
• 8 “Truly, it is a spirit in a human being, and the breath of Shaddai teaches them.
• 9 It is not the aged[fn] who are wise, or[fn] it is not the elders who understand justice.
• 10 Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me; let me also declare my knowledge myself.’
• 11 “Look, I waited for your[fn] words; I listened for your[fn] insight,
• until you searched out what to say .[fn]
• 12 And I directed my attention to you;[fn] and, look, there is no one for Job who refuted,
• answering his words among you.
• 13 So do not say, ‘We have found wisdom; let God refute him, not a man.’
• 14 But[fn] he did not direct his words[fn] to me, and I will not answer him with your[fn] words.
• 15 “They are dismayed; they no longer answer; they have nothing to say .[fn]
• 16 And I have waited because they do not speak, because they stand there and no longer answer.
• 17 I myself will answer my share also; I myself will declare my knowledge also,
• 18 for I am full of words;[fn] the spirit within me[fn] urges me.
• 19 “Look, my internal organs are like unopened wine, like new wineskins it[fn] is ready to burst open.
• 20 Let me speak that I may find relief ;[fn] let me open my lips, and let me answer.
• 21 Please let me not show partiality to anyone ,[fn] and let me not show flattery to human beings,
• 22 for I do not know how to flatter ,[fn] else my Maker would soon[fn] put an end to me.