32 Eyob ended, and the three men said no more to him, because he considered himself in the right.

2 Then Elihu the son of Barakel the Buzite, belonging to the clan of Ram, blazed out in anger--against Eyob, for making himself out to be better than God,

3 but also against his three friends for compromising God by failing to refute Eyob.

4 As they were older men, Elihu had waited for them to argue with Eyob;

5 but when Elihu saw that the three men had no answer to make, his anger blazed.

6 Then said Elihu the son of Barakel the Buzite:

7 

I felt the word lay with a long life,

and years entitled men to instruct wisely.

8 

Yet God inspires a man,

’tis the Almighty who breathes knowledge into him;

9 

it is not always seniors who are sage,

or aged men who understand;

15 

they get dumbfounded and they say no more,

words fail them.

16 

But am I to wait because they will not speak,

because they stand in silence?

17 

No, I will offer my own answer

and speak my mind upon the matter.

11 

I waited till you spoke,

I listened for your arguments;

12 

I paid attention carefully to you,

11 

as you went over your reasons;

12 

and not a man of you confuted Eyob,

or answered what he urged.

13 

Say not, ‘We found him too 13 clever for us!

It must be God, not man, who puts him down!’

14 

He has not met me yet;

and I will not meet him with your replies.

18 

For I am full of things to say,

and my mind urges me to speech.

19 

My mind is like wine bottled up,

ready to burst out, like new bottles.

20 

I must relieve myself by speaking,

I must emit my answer.

21 

I would show favour to no man,

I would not flatter anyone;

22 

I know not how to flatter--

or my Maker would soon make an end of me.