Elihu in Anger Rebukes Job

1 Then these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. 2 But the anger of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram burned; against Job his anger burned because he justified himself before God. 3 And his anger burned against his three friends because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. 4 Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were years older than he. 5 And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of the three men his anger burned.

 6 So Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite spoke out and said,
“I am young in years and you are old;
Therefore I was shy and afraid to tell you what I think. 7
“I thought age should speak,
And increased years should teach wisdom. 8
“But it is a spirit in man,
And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding. 9
“The abundant {in years} may not be wise,
Nor may elders understand justice. 10
“So I say, `Listen to me,
I too will tell what I think.’

 11
“Behold, I waited for your words,
I listened to your reasonings,
While you pondered what to say. 12
“I even paid close attention to you;
Indeed, there was no one who refuted Job,
Not one of you who answered his words. 13
“Do not say,
`We have found wisdom;
God will rout him, not man.’ 14
“For he has not arranged {his} words against me,
Nor will I reply to him with your arguments.

 15
“They are dismayed, they no longer answer;
Words have failed them. 16
“Shall I wait, because they do not speak,
Because they stop {and} no longer answer? 17
“I too will answer my share,
I also will tell my opinion. 18
“For I am full of words;
The spirit within me constrains me. 19
“Behold, my belly is like unvented wine,
Like new wineskins it is about to burst. 20
“Let me speak that I may get relief;
Let me open my lips and answer. 21
“Let me now be partial to no one,
Nor flatter {any} man. 22
“For I do not know how to flatter,
{Else} my Maker would soon take me away.