But Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became indignant. His indignation was kindled and burned and he became upset with Job because he justified himself rather than God [and even expressed doubts about God’s character].

Elihu’s anger burned against Job’s three friends because they had found no answer [and were unable to determine Job’s error], and yet they had condemned Job and declared him to be in the wrong [and responsible for his own afflictions].

Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because the others were years older than he.

Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite said,

“I am young, and you are aged;
For that reason I was anxious and dared not tell you what I think.

“Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;
I also will give you my opinion [about Job’s situation] and tell you plainly what I think.’

“You see, I waited for your words,
I listened to your [wise] reasons,
While you pondered and searched out what to say.

“I even paid close attention to [what] you [said],
Indeed, not one of you convinced Job [nor could you refute him],
Not one of you supplied [satisfactory] answers to his words.

“They (Job’s friends) are dismayed and embarrassed, they no longer answer;
The words have moved away and failed them,” [says Elihu].

“My belly is like unvented wine;
Like new wineskins it is about to burst.

“For I do not know how to flatter, [in an appropriate way, and I fear that],
My Maker would soon take me away.

“However, Job, please listen to my words,
And pay attention to everything I say.

“Look, let me answer you, in this you are not right or just;
For God is greater and far superior to man.

“Why do you complain against Him?
That He does not answer [you with] all His doings.

“For God speaks once,
And even twice, yet no one notices it [including you, Job].

“Then his soul draws near to the pit [of destruction],
And his life to those who bring death (the destroyers).

“If there is an angel as a mediator for him,
One out of a thousand,
To explain to a man what is right for him [that is, how to be in right standing with God],

Then the angel is gracious to him, and says,
‘Spare him from going down to the pit [of destruction];
I have found a ransom [a consideration, or reason for redemption, an atonement]!’

“Let his flesh be restored and become fresher than in youth;
Let him return to the days of his youthful strength.

“He will pray to God, and He shall be favorable to him,
So that he looks at His face with joy;
For God restores to man His righteousness [that is, his right standing with God—with its joys].

“He sings out to other men,
‘I have sinned and perverted that which was right,
And it was not proper for me!

‘God has redeemed my life from going to the pit [of destruction],
And my life shall see the light.’”

To bring his life back from the pit [of destruction],
That he may be enlightened with the light of the living.

“Pay attention, Job, listen to me;
Keep silent, and I will speak.

“If you have anything to say, answer me;
Speak, for I desire to justify you.

“If not [and you have nothing to say], listen to me;
Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”

“Hear my words, you wise men,
And listen to me, you who have [so much] knowledge.

“For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
When he takes delight and is pleased with God and obeys Him.’

“Therefore hear me, you men of understanding.
Far be it from God that He would do wickedness,
And from the Almighty to do wrong.

“For God pays a man according to his work,
And He will make every man find [appropriate] compensation according to his way.

“Surely God will not act wickedly,
Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.

“If God should determine to do so,
If He should gather to Himself [that is, withdraw from man] His [life-giving] spirit and His breath,

All flesh would perish together,
And man would return to dust.

“If you now have understanding, hear this;
Listen to the sound of my words.

“God who says to a king, ‘You are worthless and vile,’
Or to princes and nobles, ‘You are wicked and evil’?

“Who is not partial to princes,
Nor does He regard the rich above the poor,
For they all are the work of His hands.

“In a moment they die, even at midnight
The people are shaken and pass away,
And the powerful are taken away without a [human] hand.

So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him,
And He heard the cry of the afflicted.

So that godless men would not rule
Nor be snares for the people.

“For has anyone said to God,
‘I have endured my chastisement;
I will not offend anymore;

Teach me what I do not see [in regard to how I have sinned];
If I have done wrong (injustice, unrighteousness),
I will not do it again’?

“Shall God’s retribution [for your sins] be on your terms, because you refuse to accept it?
For you must do the choosing, and not I;
Therefore say what you [truthfully] know.

‘Job ought to be tried to the limit
Because he answers like wicked men!

‘For he adds rebellion [in his unsubmissive, defiant attitude toward God] to his [unacknowledged] sin;
He claps his hands among us [in open mockery and contempt of God],
And he multiplies his words [of accusation] against God.’”

Elihu continued speaking [to Job] and said,

“Do you think this is according to [your] justice?
Do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?

“Look to the heavens and see;
And behold the skies which are [much] higher than you.

“If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against Him?
And if your transgressions are multiplied, what have you done to Him?

“If you are righteous, what do you give God,
Or what does He receive from your hand?

“Surely God will not listen to an empty cry [which lacks trust],
Nor will the Almighty regard it.

“Even though you say that you do not see Him [when missing His righteous judgment on earth],
Yet your case is before Him, and you must wait for Him!

“And now, because He has not [quickly] punished in His anger,
Nor has He acknowledged transgression and arrogance well [and seems unaware of the wrong of which a person is guilty],

“Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you,
That there is yet more to say on God’s behalf.

“I will bring my knowledge from afar,
And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

Then He declares to them [the true character of] their deeds
And their transgressions, that they have acted arrogantly [with presumption and notions of self-sufficiency].

“He opens their ears to instruction and discipline,
And commands that they return from evil.

“But if they do not hear and obey, they will die by the sword [of God’s destructive judgments]
And they will die [in ignorance] without [true] knowledge.

“But the godless in heart store up anger [at the divine discipline];
They do not cry [to Him] for help when He binds them [with cords of affliction].

“They die in youth,
And their life ends among the cult prostitutes.

“He rescues the afflicted in their affliction,
And opens their ears [so that they pay attention to His voice] in times of oppression.

“Will your wealth [be sufficient to] keep you from [the confinement of] distress,
Or will all the force of your strength do it?

“Take heed and be careful, do not turn to wickedness,
For you have chosen this [the vice of complaining against God] rather than [learning from] affliction.

“He covers His hands with the lightning,
And commands it to strike the mark.

“He lets it loose under the whole heaven,
And His lightning to the ends of the earth.

“For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth’;
And [He speaks] to the showers and to the downpour [of His mighty rains], ‘Be strong.’

“God seals (brings to a standstill, stops) [by severe weather] the hand of every man,
That all men [whom He has made] may know His work [that is, His sovereign power and their subjection to it].

“Its direction is turned around by His guidance,
That it may do whatever He commands it
On the face of the inhabited earth.

“Whether [it be] for correction, or for His earth [generally]
Or for [His] mercy and lovingkindness, He causes it to happen.

“Do you know how God establishes and commands them,
And makes the lightning of His [storm] cloud shine?

“Do you know about the layers of thick clouds [and how they are balanced and poised in the heavens],
The wonderful works of Him who is perfect in knowledge,

“So shall it be told Him that I wish to speak?
Or should a man say that he would be swallowed up [and destroyed by God]?

“The Almighty—we cannot find Him;
He is exalted in power
And He will not do violence to [nor disregard] justice and abundant righteousness.

“Now gird up your loins like a man,
And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you know and have understanding.

“Since your days began, have you ever commanded the morning,
And caused the dawn to know its place,

“Have the gates of death been revealed to you,
Or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

That you may take it to its territory
And that you may know the paths to its house?

Which I have reserved for the time of trouble,
For the day of battle and war?

To bring rain on the uninhabited land,
And on the desert where no man lives,

To satisfy the barren and desolate ground
And to make the seeds of grass to sprout?

“Has the rain a father?
Or who has begotten the drops of dew?

“Do you know the ordinances of the heavens,
Or [can you] establish their rule over the earth?

“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
So that an abundance of water will cover you?

“Can you send forth lightnings that they may go
And say to you, ‘Here we are’?

“Who has put wisdom in the innermost being [of man, or in the layers of clouds]
Or given understanding to the mind [of man, or to the heavenly display]?

When the dust hardens into a mass
And the clods stick together [because of the heat]?

“Who provides prey for the raven
When its young cry to God
And wander about without food?

“Do you know the time when the wild goats of the rock give birth [to their young]?
Do you observe the calving of the deer?

“Can you count the months that they carry offspring,
Or do you know the time when they give birth?

“Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open field;
They leave and do not return to them.

“Will the wild ox be willing to serve you,
Or remain beside your manger at night?

“Can you bind the wild ox with a harness [to the plow] in the furrow?
Or will he plow the valleys for you?

“Will you trust him because his strength is great
And leave your labor to him?

“Will you have faith and depend on him to return your grain
And gather it from your threshing floor?

For God has made her forget wisdom,
And has not given her a share of understanding.

“Yet when she lifts herself on high,
[So swift is she that] she laughs at the horse and his rider.

“Have you [Job] made him leap like a locust?
The majesty of his snorting [nostrils] is terrible.

“He paws in the valley and rejoices in his strength;
He goes out to meet the weapons [of armed men].

“The quiver rattles against him,
[As do] the flashing spear and the lance [of his rider].

“With fierceness and rage he races to devour the ground,
And he does not stand still at the sound of the [war] trumpet.

Then the Lord said to Job,