- 32So these three men ceased to answer Job because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram. Against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God. 3Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. 4Now Elihu had waited until Job had spoken because they were older than he. 5When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, then his wrath was kindled.
- 6And Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and said, I am young and you are very old; wherefore, I was afraid and dared not show you my opinion. 7I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. 8But there is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty gives them understanding. 9Great men are not always wise, neither do the aged understand judgment.
- 10Therefore, I said, Listen to me, I also will show my opinion. 11Behold, I waited for your words, I gave ear to your reasons while you searched out what to say. 12Yea, I paid attention to you, and behold, there was none of you that refuted Job or that answered his words, 13lest you should say, We have found out wisdom, God thrusts him down, not man. 14Now he has not directed his words against me, neither will I answer him with your speeches.
- 15They were dismayed, they answered no more, they left off speaking. 16When I had waited — for they spoke not, but stood still, and answered no more — 17I said, I will answer also my part. I also will show my opinion. 18For I am full of matter, the spirit within me constrains me. 19Behold, my belly is as wine which has no vent, it is ready to burst like new bottles. 20I will speak, that I may be refreshed. I will open my lips and answer. 21Let me not, I pray you, respect any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. 22For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing, my Maker would soon take me away.
- 33Wherefore, Job, I pray you, hear my speeches and listen to all my words. 2Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue has spoken in my mouth. 3My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart, and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly. 4The spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty has given me life. 5If you can answer me, set your words in order before me, stand up. 6Behold, I am according to your wish in God’s stead. I also am formed out of the clay. 7Behold, my terror shall not make you afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon you.
- 8Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard the voice of your words, saying, 9I am clean, without transgression; I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me. 10Behold, he finds accusations against me, he counts me for his enemy, 11he puts my feet in the stocks, he marks all my paths. 12Behold, in this you are not just.
- I will answer you that God is greater than man. 13Why do you quarrel against him? For he gives not account of all of his matters. 14For God speaks once — yea, twice — yet man perceives it not. 15In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men in slumberings upon the bed, 16then he opens the ears of men and seals their instruction, 17that he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide pride from man. 18He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.
- 19He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain, 20so that his life abhors bread and his soul dainty food. 21His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out. 22Yea, his soul draws near unto the grave and his life to the destroyers.
- 23If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand to show unto man his uprightness, 24then he is gracious unto him and says, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom, 25his flesh shall be fresher than a child’s, he shall return to the days of his youth — 26he shall pray unto God, and he will be favorable unto him, and he shall see his face with joy; for he will render unto man his righteousness.
- 27He looks upon men, and if any say, I have sinned and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not — 28he will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light. 29Behold all these things God oftentimes works with man, 30to bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.
- 31Mark well, O Job, listen unto me. Hold your peace and I will speak. 32If you have anything to say, answer me. Speak, for I desire to justify you. 33If not, listen unto me. Hold your peace and I shall teach you wisdom.
- 34Furthermore, Elihu answered and said, 2Hear my words, O you wise men, and give ear unto me, you that have knowledge; 3for the ear tries words as the mouth tastes food. 4Let us choose to us judgment. Let us know among ourselves what is good. 5For Job has said, I am righteous, and God has taken away my judgment. 6Should I lie against my right? My wound is incurable without transgression. 7What man is like Job, who drinks up scorning like water, 8who goes in company with the workers of iniquity and walks with wicked men? 9For he has said, It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.
- 10Therefore, listen unto me you men of understanding. Far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity; 11for the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways. 12Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment. 13Who has given him a charge over the earth? Or who has disposed the whole world? 14If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath, 15all flesh shall perish together and man shall return unto dust.
- 16If now you have understanding, hear this. Listen to the voice of my words. 17Shall even he that hates right govern? And will you condemn him that is most just? 18Is it fit to say to a king, You are wicked, and to princes, You are ungodly? 19How much less to him that accepts not the persons of princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor? For they all are the work of his hands. 20In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight and pass away, and the mighty shall be taken away without hand.
- 21For his eyes are upon the ways of man and he sees all his goings. 22There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. 23For he will not lay upon man more than right, that he should enter into judgment with God. 24He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead. 25Therefore, he knows their works, and he overturns them in the night so that they are destroyed. 26He strikes them as wicked men in the open sight of others 27because they turned back from him and would not consider any of his ways, 28so that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him; and he hears the cry of the afflicted.
- 29When he gives quietness, who then can make trouble? And when he hides his face, who then can behold him? Whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only, 30that the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.
- 31Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend anymore. 32That which I see not, teach me; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more. 33Should it be according to your mind? He will recompense it, whether you refuse or whether you choose, and not I. Therefore, speak what you know.
- 34Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man listen unto me. 35Job has spoken without knowledge and his words were without wisdom. 36My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men, 37for he adds rebellion unto his sin. He claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.
- 35Elihu spoke moreover and said, 2Do you think this to be right that you said: My righteousness is more than God’s? 3For you said, What advantage will it be unto you? — and, What profit shall I have if I be cleansed from my sin? 4I will answer you, and your companions with you.
- 5Look unto the heavens and see, and behold the clouds which are higher than you. 6If you sin, what do you do against him? Or if your transgressions be multiplied, what do you do unto him? 7If you are righteous, what do you give him? Or what does he receive of your hand? 8Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are, and your righteousness may profit the son of man.
- 9By reason of the multitude of oppressions, they make the oppressed to cry; they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty. 10But none says, Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, 11who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the fowls of heaven? 12There they cry, but none gives answer because of the pride of evil men. 13Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it. 14Although you say you shall not see him, yet judgment is before him. 15Therefore, trust in him. But now, because it is not so, he has visited in his anger. Yet he knows it not in great extremity; 16therefore does Job open his mouth in vain, he multiplies words without knowledge.
- 36Elihu also proceeded and said, 2Suffer me a little and I will show you that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf. 3I will fetch my knowledge from afar and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker; 4for truly my words shall not be false. He that is perfect in knowledge is with you.
- 5Behold, God is mighty and despises not any. He is mighty in strength and wisdom. 6He preserves not the life of the wicked, but gives right to the poor. 7He withdraws not his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne, yea, he does establish them for ever and they are exalted. 8And if they be bound in fetters and be held in cords of affliction, 9then he shows them their work and their transgressions, that they have exceeded. 10He opens also their ear to discipline and commands that they return from iniquity. 11If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity and their years in pleasures. 12But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword and they shall die without knowledge.
- 13But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath, they cry not when he binds them. 14They die in youth and their life is among the unclean. 15He delivers the poor in his affliction and opens their ears in oppression.
- 16Even so would he have removed you out of the tight place into a broad place where there is no confinement, and that which should be set on your table should be full of fatness. 17But you have fulfilled the judgment of the wicked; judgment and justice take hold on you. 18Because there is wrath, beware lest he take you away with his stroke; then a great ransom cannot deliver you. 19Will he esteem your riches? No, not gold, nor all the forces of strength. 20Desire not the night when people are cut off in their place. 21Take heed, regard not iniquity, for this you have chosen rather than affliction.
- 22Behold, God exalts by his power. Who teaches like him? 23Who has enjoined him his way? Or who can say, You have wrought iniquity? 24Remember that you magnify his work, which men behold. 25Every man may see it, man may behold it afar off. 26Behold, God is great and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
- 27For he makes small the drops of water, they pour down rain according to the vapor thereof, 28which the clouds do drop and distill upon man abundantly. 29Also, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds or the noise of his tabernacle? 30Behold, he spreads his light upon it and covers the bottom of the sea. 31For by them he judges the people. He gives food in abundance. 32With clouds he covers the light, and commands it not to shine by the cloud that comes between. 33The noise thereof shows concerning it; the cattle also, concerning the vapor.
- 37At this also my heart trembles and is moved out of his place. 2Hear attentively the noise of his voice and the sound that goes out of his mouth. 3He directs it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. 4After it a voice roars, he thunders with the voice of his excellence, and he will not restrain them when his voice is heard. 5God thunders marvelously with his voice.
- Great things does he which we cannot comprehend. 6For he says to the snow, Be on the earth; likewise to the small rain and to the great rain of his strength. 7He seals up the hand of every man, that all men may know his work. 8Then the beasts go into dens and remain in their places. 9Out of the south comes the whirlwind, and cold out of the north. 10By the breath of God, frost is given and the breadth of the waters is narrowed. 11Also by watering, he wearies the thick cloud. He scatters his bright cloud 12and it is turned round about by his counsels, that they may do whatever he commands them upon the face of the world in the earth. 13He causes it to come — whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.
- 14Listen unto this, O Job. Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God. 15Do you know when God disposed them and caused the light of his cloud to shine? 16Do you know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge? 17How your garments are warm when he quiets the earth by the south wind? 18Have you, with him, spread out the sky, which is strong and as a molten mirror?
- 19Teach us what we shall say unto him, for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness. 20Shall it be told him that I speak? If a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up. 21And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds, but the wind passes and cleanses them. 22Fair weather comes out of the north; with God is terrible majesty. 23Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out. He is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice. He will not afflict. 24Men do therefore fear him. He respects not any that are wise of heart.
Chapter 11