Job 8

Bildad Speaks: Job Should Repent

1Then ^aBildad the Shuhite answered and said:

2 “How long will you say these things,
and the words of your mouth be a ^bgreat wind?
3 ^cDoes God pervert justice?
Or does the Almighty pervert the right?
4If your ^dchildren have sinned against him,
he has delivered them into the hand of their transgression.
5If you will seek God
and ^eplead with the Almighty for mercy,
6if you are pure and upright,
surely then he will ^frouse himself for you
and ^grestore your rightful habitation.
7And though your beginning was small,
^hyour latter days will be very great.
8 “For ⁱinquire, please, of bygone ages,
and consider what ^jthe fathers have searched out.
9For we are but of yesterday and know nothing,
for our days on earth are ^ka shadow.
10Will they not teach you and tell you
and utter words out of their understanding?
11 “Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh?
Can reeds flourish where there is no water?
12While yet in flower and not cut down,
they ^lwither before any other plant.
13Such are the paths of all who ^mforget God;
ⁿthe hope of ^othe godless shall perish.
14His confidence is severed,
and his trust is ^pa spider’s web. ▼

▼Hebrew house

15He leans against his ^rhouse, but it does not stand;
he lays hold of it, but it does not endure.
16He is a lush plant before the sun,
and his ^sshoots spread over his garden.
17His roots entwine the stone heap;
he looks upon a house of stones.
18If he is destroyed from his ^tplace,
then it will deny him, saying, ‘I have never ^useen you.’
19Behold, this is the joy of his way,
and out of ^vthe soil others will spring.
20 “Behold, God will not reject a blameless man,
nor take the hand of evildoers.
21He will yet ^wfill your mouth with laughter,
and your lips with shouting.
22Those who hate you will be ^xclothed with shame,
and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”

Job 32

Elihu Rebukes Job’s Three Friends

1So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was ^yrighteous in his own eyes. 2Then Elihu the son of Barachel ^zthe Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself ^aarather than God. 3He burned with anger also at Job’s three friends because they had found no answer, although they had ^abdeclared Job to be in the wrong. 4Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he. 5And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger.

6And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said:

“I am young in years,
and you are ^acaged;
therefore I was timid and afraid
to declare my opinion to you.
7I said, ‘Let days speak,
and many years teach wisdom.’
8But it is ^adthe spirit in man,
^aethe breath of the Almighty, that makes him ^afunderstand.
9 ^agIt is not the old ▼

▼Hebrew many [in years]

who are wise,
nor the aged who understand what is right.
10Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me;
let me also declare my opinion.’
11 “Behold, I waited for your words,
I listened for your wise sayings,
while you searched out what to say.
12I gave you my attention,
and, behold, there was none among you who refuted Job
or who answered his words.
13Beware ^ailest you say, ‘We have found wisdom;
God may vanquish him, not a man.’
14He has not directed his words against me,
and I will not answer him with your speeches.
15 “They are dismayed; they answer no more;
they have not a word to say.
16And shall I wait, because they do not speak,
because they stand there, and answer no more?
17I also will answer with my share;
I also will declare my opinion.
18For I am full of words;
the spirit within me constrains me.
19Behold, my belly is like wine that has no vent;
like new ^ajwineskins ready to burst.
20 ^akI must speak, that I may find ^alrelief;
I must open my lips and answer.
21I will not ^amshow partiality to any man
or use flattery toward any person.
22For I do not know how to flatter,
else my Maker would soon take me away.