Job 32; Job 33; Job 34

Job 32

1 Because Job was convinced of his own innocence, the three men gave up trying to answer him.

2 But a bystander named Elihu could not control his anger any longer, because Job was justifying himself and blaming God. (Elihu was the son of Barakel, a descendant of Buz, and belonged to the clan of Ram.)

3 He was also angry with Job's three friends. They could not find any way to answer Job, and this made it appear that God was in the wrong.

4 Because Elihu was the youngest one there, he had waited until everyone finished speaking.

5 When he saw that the three men could not answer Job, he was angry

6 and began to speak. I am young, and you are old, so I was afraid to tell you what I think.

7 I told myself that you ought to speak, that you older men should share your wisdom.

8 But it is the spirit of Almighty God that comes to us and gives us wisdom.

9 It is not growing old that makes us wise or helps us to know what is right.

10 So now I want you to listen to me; let me tell you what I think.

11 I listened patiently while you were speaking and waited while you searched for wise phrases.

12 I paid close attention and heard you fail; you have not disproved what Job has said.

13 How can you claim you have discovered wisdom? God must answer Job, for you have failed.

14 Job was speaking to you, not to me, but I would never answer the way you did.

15 Words have failed them, Job; they have no answer for you.

16 Shall I go on waiting when they are silent? They stand there with nothing more to say.

17 No, I will give my own answer now and tell you what I think.

18 I can hardly wait to speak. I can't hold back the words.

19 If I don't get a chance to speak, I will burst like a wineskin full of new wine.

20 I can't stand it; I have to speak.

21 I will not take sides in this debate; I am not going to flatter anyone.

22 I don't know how to flatter, and God would quickly punish me if I did.

Job 33

1 And now, Job, listen carefully to all that I have to say.

2 I am ready to say what's on my mind.

3 All my words are sincere, and I am speaking the truth.

4 God's spirit made me and gave me life.

5 Answer me if you can. Prepare your arguments.

6 You and I are the same in God's sight, both of us were formed from clay.

7 So you have no reason to fear me; I will not overpower you.

8 Now this is what I heard you say:

9 "I am not guilty; I have done nothing wrong. I am innocent and free from sin.

10 But God finds excuses for attacking me and treats me like an enemy.

11 He binds chains on my feet; he watches every move I make."

12 But I tell you, Job, you are wrong. God is greater than any human being.

13 Why do you accuse God of never answering our complaints?

14 Although God speaks again and again, no one pays attention to what he says.

15 At night when people are asleep, God speaks in dreams and visions.

16 He makes them listen to what he says, and they are frightened at his warnings.

17 God speaks to make them stop their sinning and to save them from becoming proud.

18 He will not let them be destroyed; he saves them from death itself.

19 God corrects us by sending sickness and filling our bodies with pain.

20 Those who are sick lose their appetites, and even the finest food looks revolting.

21 Their bodies waste away to nothing; you can see all their bones;

22 they are about to go to the world of the dead.

23 Perhaps an angel may come to their aid - one of God's thousands of angels, who remind us of our duty.

24 In mercy the angel will say, "Release them! They are not to go down to the world of the dead. Here is the ransom to set them free."

25 Their bodies will grow young and strong again;

26 when they pray, God will answer; they will worship God with joy; God will set things right for them again.

27 Each one will say in public, "I have sinned. I have not done right, but God spared me.

28 He kept me from going to the world of the dead, and I am still alive."

29 God does all this again and again;

30 each one saves a person's life, and gives him the joy of living.

31 Now, Job, listen to what I am saying; be quiet and let me speak.

32 But if you have something to say, let me hear it; I would gladly admit you are in the right.

33 But if not, be quiet and listen to me, and I will teach you how to be wise.

Job 34

1 You men are so wise, so clever; listen now to what I am saying.

3 You know good food when you taste it, but not wise words when you hear them.

4 It is up to us to decide the case.

5 Job claims that he is innocent, that God refuses to give him justice.

6 He asks, "How could I lie and say I am wrong? I am fatally wounded, but I am sinless."

7 Have you ever seen anyone like this man Job? He never shows respect for God.

8 He likes the company of evil people and goes around with sinners.

9 He says that it never does any good to try to follow God's will.

10 Listen to me, you men who understand! Will Almighty God do what is wrong?

11 He rewards people for what they do and treats them as they deserve.

12 Almighty God does not do evil; he is never unjust to anyone.

13 Did God get his power from someone else? Did someone put him in charge of the world?

14 If God took back the breath of life,

15 then everyone living would die and turn into dust again.

16 Now listen to me, if you are wise.

17 Are you condemning the righteous God? Do you think that [he ]hates justice?

18 God condemns kings and rulers when they are worthless or wicked.

19 He does not take the side of rulers nor favor the rich over the poor, for he created everyone.

20 We may suddenly die at night. God strikes us down and we perish; he kills the mighty with no effort at all.

21 He watches every step we take.

22 There is no darkness dark enough to hide a sinner from God.

23 God does not need to set a time for us to go and be judged by him.

24 He does not need an investigation to remove leaders and replace them with others.

25 Because he knows what they do; he overthrows them and crushes them by night.

26 He punishes sinners where all can see it,

27 because they have stopped following him and ignored all his commands.

28 They forced the poor to cry out to God, and he heard their calls for help.

29 If God decided to do nothing at all, no one could criticize him. If he hid his face, we would be helpless.

30 There would be nothing that nations could do to keep godless oppressors from ruling them.

31 Job, have you confessed your sins to God and promised not to sin again?

32 Have you asked God to show you your faults, and have you agreed to stop doing evil?

33 Since you object to what God does, can you expect him to do what you want? The decision is yours, not mine; tell us now what you think.

34 Any sensible person will surely agree; and the wise who hear me will say

35 that Job is speaking from ignorance and that nothing he says makes sense.

36 Think through everything that Job says; you will see that he talks like an evil man.

37 To his sins he adds rebellion; in front of us all he mocks God.