Job 32:6-22

Y habló Eliú hijo de Baraquel de Buz:

Primer discurso de Eliú

6 «Yo soy muy joven, y ustedes ancianos;por eso me sentía muy temerosode expresarles mi opinión.
7 Y me dije: “Que hable la voz de la experiencia;que demuestren los ancianos su sabiduría”.
8 Pero lo que da entendimiento al hombrees el espíritu[a] que en él habita;¡es el hálito del Todopoderoso!
9 No son los ancianos[b] los únicos sabios,ni es la edad la que hace entender lo que es justo.
10 »Les ruego, por tanto, que me escuchen;yo también tengo algo que decirles.
11 Mientras hablaban, me propuse esperary escuchar sus razonamientos;mientras buscaban las palabras,
12 les presté toda mi atención.Pero no han podido probar que Job esté equivocado;ninguno ha respondido a sus argumentos.
13 No vayan a decirme: “Hemos hallado la sabiduría;que lo refute Dios, y no los hombres”.
14 Ni Job se ha dirigido a mí,ni yo he de responderle como ustedes.
15 »Job, tus amigos están desconcertados;no pueden responder, les faltan las palabras.
16 ¿Y voy a quedarme callado ante su silencio,ante su falta de respuesta?
17 Yo también tengo algo que decir,y voy a demostrar mis conocimientos.
18 Palabras no me faltan;el espíritu que hay en mí me obliga a hablar.
19 Estoy como vino embotelladoen odre nuevo a punto de estallar.
20 Tengo que hablar y desahogarme;tengo que abrir la boca y dar respuesta.
21 No favoreceré a nadieni halagaré a ninguno;
22 Yo no sé adular a nadie;si lo hiciera,[c] mi Creador me castigaría.

Job 32:6-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 32

Job's three friends being silenced, and having no more to say in reply to him, Elihu, of whose descent some account is given, a bystander and hearer of the whole dispute between them, rises up as a moderator, and expresses some anger both against them and Job, Job 32:1-5; he makes an apology for engaging in this controversy, by reason of his youth, and they being advanced in years, Job 32:6,7; but since there is a spirit in man, that gives understanding to men of every age, and old men are not always wise, he desires they would hearken to him while he delivered his sentiments on the subject in debate, Job 32:8-10; and hopes to be heard patiently, since he had waited until they had said all they had to say, and had closely attended to it, and which fell short of convincing Job; and this he was obliged to say, lest they should be wise in their own conceit, and attribute that to men which belongs to God, Job 32:11-13; he proposes to take a new method with Job, different from theirs; and now they hearing all this from a young man, they were filled with amazement, and struck with silence; and after he had waited a while to observe whether they would say anything or not, he determined to take his turn, and show his opinion also, Job 32:14-17; and the rather because he was full of arguments, he was desirous to propose them, and was uneasy until he had brought them out; and which he was resolved to do with all impartiality and integrity, Job 32:18-22.

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. "espíritu" . Alt. "Espíritu" ; también en v. 18.
  • [b]. "ancianos" . Alt. "muchos" , o "grandes" .
  • [c]. "si lo hiciera" . Lit. "en poco tiempo" .
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