New King James Version

New International Version

Elihu Contradicts Job’s Friends

So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.

Elihu

So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.

Then the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was aroused against Job; his wrath was aroused because he justified himself rather than God.

2

But Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became very angry with Job for justifying himself rather than God.

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

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He was also angry with the three friends, because they had found no way to refute Job, and yet had condemned him.a

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Now because they were years older than he, Elihu had waited [a]to speak to Job.

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Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job because they were older than he.

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When Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, his wrath was aroused.

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But when he saw that the three men had nothing more to say, his anger was aroused.

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So Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered and said:
“I am young in years, and you are very old;
Therefore I was afraid,
And dared not declare my opinion to you.

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So Elihu son of Barakel the Buzite said:
“I am young in years,
and you are old;
that is why I was fearful,
not daring to tell you what I know.

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I said, [b]‘Age should speak,
And multitude of years should teach wisdom.’

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I thought, ‘Age should speak;
advanced years should teach wisdom.’

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But there is a spirit in man,
And the breath of the Almighty gives him understanding.

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But it is the spiritb in a person,
the breath of the Almighty, that gives them understanding.

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Great[c] men are not always wise,
Nor do the aged always understand justice.

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It is not only the oldc who are wise,
not only the aged who understand what is right.

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“Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me,
I also will declare my opinion.’

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“Therefore I say: Listen to me;
I too will tell you what I know.

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Indeed I waited for your words,
I listened to your reasonings, while you searched out what to say.

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I waited while you spoke,
I listened to your reasoning;
while you were searching for words,

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I paid close attention to you;
And surely not one of you convinced Job,
Or answered his words —

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I gave you my full attention.
But not one of you has proved Job wrong;
none of you has answered his arguments.

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Lest you say,
‘We have found wisdom’;
God will vanquish him, not man.

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Do not say, ‘We have found wisdom;
let God, not a man, refute him.’

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Now he has not [d]directed his words against me;
So I will not answer him with your words.

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But Job has not marshaled his words against me,
and I will not answer him with your arguments.

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“They are dismayed and answer no more;
Words escape them.

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“They are dismayed and have no more to say;
words have failed them.

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And I have waited, because they did not speak,
Because they stood still and answered no more.

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Must I wait, now that they are silent,
now that they stand there with no reply?

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I also will answer my part,
I too will declare my opinion.

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I too will have my say;
I too will tell what I know.

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For I am full of words;
The spirit within me compels me.

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For I am full of words,
and the spirit within me compels me;

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Indeed my [e]belly is like wine that has no [f]vent;
It is ready to burst like new wineskins.

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inside I am like bottled-up wine,
like new wineskins ready to burst.

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I will speak, that I may find relief;
I must open my lips and answer.

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I must speak and find relief;
I must open my lips and reply.

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Let me not, I pray, show partiality to anyone;
Nor let me flatter any man.

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I will show no partiality,
nor will I flatter anyone;

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For I do not know how to flatter,
Else my Maker would soon take me away.

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for if I were skilled in flattery,
my Maker would soon take me away.

Parallel

New King James Version

New International Version

Job 32

Job 32