Job 32-35

Job 32

¹So 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 family 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 to speak unto Job, because they were elder than he.

⁵And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was kindled.

⁶And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said, I am young, and ye are very old; wherefore I held back, and durst not shew you mine opinion.

⁷I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.

⁸But there is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

⁹It is not the great that are wise, nor the aged that understand judgment.

¹⁰Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will shew mine opinion.

¹¹Behold, I waited for your words, I listened for your reasons, whilst ye searched out what to say.

¹²Yea, I attended unto you, and, behold, there was none that convinced Job, or that answered his words, among you.

¹³Beware lest ye say, We have found wisdom; God may vanquish him, not man:

¹⁴For he hath not directed his words against me; neither will I answer him with your speeches.

¹⁵They are amazed, they answer no more: they have not a word to say.

¹⁶And shall I wait, because they speak not, because they stand still, and answer no more?

¹⁷I also will answer my part, I also will shew mine opinion.

¹⁸For I am full of words; the spirit within me constraineth me.

¹⁹Behold, my belly is as wine which hath no vent; like new bottles it is ready to burst.

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 will I give flattering titles unto any man.

²²For I know not to give flattering titles; else would my Maker soon take me away.

Job 33

¹Howbeit, Job, I pray thee, hear my speech, and hearken to all my words.

²Behold now, I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth.

³My words shall utter the uprightness of my heart: and that which my lips know they shall speak sincerely.

⁴The spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty giveth me life.

⁵If thou canst, answer thou me; set thy words in order before me, stand forth.

⁶Behold, I am toward God even as thou art: I also am formed out of the clay.

⁷Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my pressure be heavy upon thee.

⁸Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,

⁹I am clean, without transgression; I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me:

¹⁰Behold, he findeth occasions against me, he counteth me for his enemy;

¹¹He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.

¹²Behold, I will answer thee, in this thou art not just; for God is greater than man.

¹³Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.

¹⁴For God speaketh once, yea twice, though man regardeth it not.

¹⁵In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

¹⁶Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,

¹⁷That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man;

¹⁸He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

¹⁹He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and with continual strife in his bones:

²⁰So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat.

²¹His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out.

²²Yea, his soul draweth near unto the pit, and his life to the destroyers.

²³If there be with him an angel, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man what is right for him;

²⁴Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom.

²⁵His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s; he returneth to the days of his youth:

²⁶He prayeth unto God, and he is favourable unto him; so that he seeth his face with joy: and he restoreth unto man his righteousness.

²⁷He singeth before men, and saith, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not:

²⁸He hath redeemed my soul from going into the pit, and my life shall behold the light.

²⁹Lo, all these things doth God work, twice, yea thrice, with a man,

³⁰To bring back his soul from the pit, that he may be enlightened with the light of the living.

³¹Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I will speak.

³²If thou hast any thing to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify thee.

³³If not, hearken thou unto me: hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom.

Job 34

¹Moreover Elihu answered and said,

²Hear my words, ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.

³For the ear trieth words, as the palate tasteth meat.

⁴Let us choose for us that which is right: let us know among ourselves what is good.

⁵For Job hath said, I am righteous, and God hath taken away my right:

⁶Notwithstanding my right I am accounted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.

⁷What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?

⁸Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.

⁹For he hath said, it profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.

¹⁰Therefore 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.

¹¹For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.

¹²Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.

¹³Who gave him a charge over the earth? or who hath 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 turn again unto dust.

¹⁶If now thou hast understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words.

¹⁷Shall even one that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is just and mighty?

¹⁸Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art vile? or to nobles, Ye are wicked?

¹⁹How much less to him that respecteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.

²⁰In a moment they die, even at midnight; the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away without hand.

²¹For his eyes are upon the ways of a man, and he seeth all his goings.

²²There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

²³For he needeth not further to consider a man, that he should go before God in judgment.

²⁴He breaketh in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out, and setteth others in their stead.

²⁵Therefore he taketh knowledge of their works; and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

²⁶He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;

²⁷Because they turned aside from following him, and would not have regard to any of his ways:

²⁸So that they caused the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted.

²⁹When he giveth quietness, who then can condemn? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done unto a nation, or unto a man, alike:

³⁰That the godless man reign not, that there be none to ensnare the people.

³¹For hath any said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:

³²That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?

³³Shall his recompence be as thou wilt, that thou refusest it? for thou must choose, and not I: therefore speak what thou knowest.

³⁴Men of understanding will say unto me, yea, every wise man that heareth me:

³⁵Job speaketh without knowledge, and his words are without wisdom.

³⁶Would that Job were tried unto the end, because of his answering like wicked men.

³⁷For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.

Job 35

¹Moreover Elihu answered and said,

²Thinkest thou this to be thy right, or sayest thou, My righteousness is more than God’s,

³That thou sayest, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?

⁴I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.

⁵Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the skies, which are higher than thou.

⁶If thou hast sinned, what doest thou against him? and if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him.

⁷If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?

⁸Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit a son of man.

⁹By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out; they cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.

¹⁰But none saith, Where is God my Maker, who giveth songs in the night;

¹¹Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?

¹²There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.

¹³Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

¹⁴How much less when thou sayest thou beholdest him not, the cause is before him, and thou waitest for him!

¹⁵But now, because he hath not visited in his anger, neither doth he greatly regard arrogance;

¹⁶Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vanity; he multiplieth words without knowledge.