Elihu Confronts Job
1 But now, Job, pay attention to my speech,
and listen to all my words.
2 I am going to open my mouth;
my tongue will form words on my palate.
3 My words come from my upright u heart,
and my lips speak with sincerity what they know.
4 The Spirit of God has made me,
and the breath of the Almighty v gives me life. w
Prepare x your case against me; take your stand. y
6 I am just like you before God;
I was also pinched off from a piece of clay. z
7 Fear a of me should not terrify you;
no pressure from me should weigh you down.
8 Surely you have spoken in my hearing,
and I have heard these very C words:
9 “I am pure, without transgression;
I am clean and have no iniquity. b
10 But he finds reasons to oppose me;
he regards me as his enemy. c
11 He puts my feet in the stocks;
he stands watch d over all my paths.”
12 But I tell you that you are wrong in this matter,
since God is greater than man. e
13 Why do you take f him to court
for not answering anything a person asks? D
14 For God speaks time and again,
but a person may not notice it.
15 In a dream, a vision g in the night,
when deep sleep comes over people h
as they slumber on their beds,
16 he uncovers their ears i
and terrifies them E with warnings,
17 in order to turn a person from his actions
and suppress the pride of a person.
18 God spares his soul from the Pit, j
his life from crossing the river of death. F
19 A person may be disciplined on his bed k with pain
and constant distress in his bones, l
and his soul despises his favorite food. m
21 His flesh wastes away to nothing, G
and his unseen bones stick out.
and his life to the executioners.
23 If there is an angel n on his side,
one mediator out of a thousand,
to tell a person what is right for him H
24 and to be gracious to him and say,
“Spare him from going down to the Pit;
I have found a ransom,” o
25 then his flesh will be healthier I than in his youth,
and he will return to the days of his youthful vigor. p
26 He will pray to God, and God will delight in him.
That person will see his face q with a shout of joy,
and God will restore his righteousness to him. r
27 He will look at men and say,
“I have sinned and perverted what was right;
yet I did not get what I deserved. J
28 He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit,
and I will continue to see the light.”
29 God certainly does all these things
two or three times to a person
30 in order to turn him back from the Pit,
so he may shine with the light of life. s
31 Pay attention, Job, and listen to me.
Be quiet, and I will speak.
32 But if you have something to say, K answer me;
speak, for I would like to justify you.
be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.