Job 32

¹ So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
² But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God.
³ He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him.
⁴ Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he.
⁵ But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused.
⁶ So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said:

“I am young in years,
and you are old;
that is why I was fearful,
not daring to tell you what I know.
⁷ I thought, ‘Age should speak;
advanced years should teach wisdom.’
⁸ But it is the spirit in a person,
the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.
⁹ It is not only the old who are wise,
not only the aged who understand what is right.

¹⁰ “Therefore I say: Listen to me;
I too will tell you what I know.
¹¹ I waited while you spoke,
I listened to your reasoning;
while you were searching for words,
¹² I gave you my full attention.
But not one of you has proved Job wrong;
none of you has answered his arguments.
¹³ Do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;
let God, not a man, refute him.’
¹⁴ But Job has not marshaled his words against me,
and I will not answer him with your arguments.

¹⁵ “They are dismayed and have no more to say;
words have failed them.
¹⁶ Must I wait, now that they are silent,
now that they stand there with no reply?
¹⁷ I too will have my say;
I too will tell what I know.
¹⁸ For I am full of words,
and the spirit within me compels me;
¹⁹ inside I am like bottled-up wine,
like new wineskins ready to burst.
²⁰ I must speak and find relief;
I must open my lips and reply.
²¹ I will show no partiality,
nor will I flatter anyone;
²² for if I were skilled in flattery,
my Maker would soon take me away.