Haven’t the members of my household said,
“Who is there who has not had enough to eat at Job’s table?”

Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?

“Oh, that I had one to listen to me!
Look, here is my signature (mark);
Let the Almighty answer me!
Let my adversary write out His indictment [and put His vague accusations in tangible form].

Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.

“I would count out to Him the number of my steps [with every detail of my life],
Approaching His presence as if I were a prince.

If my land crieth out against me, And the furrows thereof weep together;

If its strength I consumed without money, And the life of its possessors, I have caused to breathe out,

Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.

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].

Also against his three friends was his wrath kindled, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job.

And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are aged; wherefore I was timid, and feared to shew you what I know.

“I thought age should speak,
And a multitude of years should teach wisdom.

"Truly, it [is] a spirit in a human being, and the breath of Shaddai teaches them.

It is not the great that are wise, Nor the aged that understand justice.

Therefore I say, Hearken to me; I also will shew what I know.

Behold, I waited for your words; I gave ear to your reasons, whilst ye 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.

Lest ye should say, We have found out wisdom: God thrusteth him down, not man.

And shall I wait, because they speak not, Because they stand still, and answer no more?

I will answer, I also in my turn, I also will shew what I know:

Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; it is ready to burst like new bottles.

Let me say what is in my mind, so that I may get comfort; let me give answer with open mouth.

And yet, I pray thee, O Job, Hear my speech and to all my words give ear.

See, now my mouth is open, my tongue gives out words.

“My words will express the uprightness of my heart,
And my lips will speak what they know with utter sincerity.

“The Spirit of God has made me,
And the breath of the Almighty gives me life [which inspires me].

Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay.

"You spoke clearly so I could hear; I've heard what you've said:

Yet God finds occasions with me; he regards me as his enemy!

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

For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.

He uncovers their ears at that time
and terrifies them with warnings,

To turn a son of earth from his deed, while yet, pride, from man he concealeth:

so that his life may away with no bread, and his soul abhorreth to eat any dainty meat:

His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out.

If there be with him an angel, An interpreter, one among a thousand, To show unto man what is right for him;

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

He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;

Yea, he hath delivered my soul from destruction, and my life, that it seeth the light.'

Take note O Job, give ear to me; keep quiet, while I say what is in my mind.

If you have anything to say, give me an answer; for it is my desire that you may be judged free from sin.

But if you have nothing to say, then at least listen to me! Be quiet and learn some wisdom from me."

"Listen to what I have to say, you wise men! Pay attention to me, you educated people!

For the ear doth try words, And the palate tasteth to eat.

Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.

For Job has declared, “I am righteous,
yet God has deprived me of justice.

Although I am right, I am accounted a liar.
My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’

What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?

For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.

Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.

Indeed, he will repay [according to] a human being's deeds, and according to a man's way he will let [it] happen [to] him.

What's more, God truly does not act wickedly, and Shaddai does not pervert justice.

Who committed to him the earth? and who set up the habitable globe all of it?

If he should set his heart to it, and he should gather his spirit and his breath to himself,

every living thing would die all at once, and mankind would return to dust."

"But if [you have] understanding, hear this; listen to {what I say}.

“Shall one who hates justice [and is an enemy of right] govern?
And will you condemn Him who is just and mighty?

Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?

In 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.

Indeed, he has not yet appointed [a time] for man to go to God in the judgment.

He breaketh in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out, And setteth others in their stead.

but caused the poor to cry out to Him,
and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.

When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:

Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:

That which I see not teach thou me: If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?

Should it be according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I: therefore speak what thou knowest.

For else the men of understanding and wisdom, that have heard me, might say: 'What canst thou speak?'

Job has been speaking from his own ignorance, and what he has to say lacks insight!

For he doth add to his sin, Transgression among us he vomiteth, And multiplieth his sayings to God.

Do you think it is just when you say,
“I am righteous before God”?

For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?

"Look at [the] heavens, and see; and observe [the] clouds [that] are higher than you.

If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?

If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?

“Your wickedness affects only a man such as you,
And your righteousness affects only a son of man [but it cannot affect God, who is sovereign].

By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.

“The people cry out, but He does not answer
Because of the pride of evil men.

Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.

But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:

And Job's mouth is open wide to give out what is of no profit, increasing words without knowledge.

And Elihu will add and say,

Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf.

I'll take what I know to its logical conclusion and ascribe righteousness to my Creator,

because what I have to say isn't deceptive, and the one who has perfect knowledge is with you."

“Behold, God is mighty, and yet does not despise anyone [nor regard any as trivial];
He is mighty in the strength and power of understanding.

He won't stop looking at righteous people; he seats them on thrones with kings forever, and they are exalted.

God tells them what they have done
and how arrogantly they have transgressed.

If they obey and serve him, they live out their days in prosperity and their years in pleasantness.

“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].

He draweth out the afflicted in his affliction, And uncovereth in oppression their ear.

Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.

Yet now you are obsessed with the judgment due the wicked;
judgment and justice have seized you.

Because there is wrath, beware lest it take thee away through chastisement: then a great ransom could not avail thee.

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

Who has prescribed his ways for him? Or said to him, 'You have done what is wicked'?

Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.

Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.

He draws up drops of water, distilling it to rain and mist.

which the clouds pour out
and shower abundantly on mankind.