Job 32
Eliu, a younger man, becomes angry with Job for justifying himself and with Job's friends for failing to provide a suitable response. Eliu believes that wisdom is not solely the domain of the aged, but rather it is the inspiration of the Almighty that gives understanding. He decides to speak up, feeling that he has endured Job's words and his friends' arguments long enough, and is now compelled to share his own wisdom. Eliu is driven to speak by a sense of urgency, feeling that he must express himself before his life is taken away.
1But these three men ceased to answer Job, because he considered himself justified2And Eliu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram, was angry and indignant. But he was angry against Job because he described himself to be just in the presence of God3Moreover, he was indignant with his friends because they had not found a reasonable response, except in so far as they condemned Job4Therefore, Eliu waited while Job was talking, for these were his elders that were speaking5But when he saw that these three were not able to respond, he was extremely angry6And so Eliu the son of Barachel the Buzite responded by saying: I am younger in years, and you are more ancient; therefore, I kept my head low, for I was afraid to reveal to you my opinion7For I had hoped that greater age would speak, and that a multitude of years would teach wisdom8But I see now that there is only breath in men, and that it is the inspiration of the Almighty that gives understanding9The wise are not the aged, nor do the elders understand judgment10Therefore, I will speak. Listen to me, and so I will show you my wisdom11For I have endured your words; I have paid attention to your deliberations, while you were being argumentative with words12And as long as I supposed that you were saying something, I considered; but now I see that there is none of you that is able to argue with Job and to respond to his words13So that you will not say, "We have found wisdom," God has thrown him down, not man14He has said nothing to me, and I will not respond to him according to your words15Then they were filled with dread, and so they no longer responded, and they withdrew from their speechmaking16Therefore, because I have waited and they have not been speaking, for they stood firm and did not respond at all17I also will answer in my turn, and I will reveal my knowledge18For I am full of words, and the feeling in my gut inspires me19Yes, my stomach is like fermenting wine without a vent, which bursts the new containers20I should speak, but I will also breathe a little; I will open my lips, and I will answer21I will not esteem the reputation of a man, and I will not equate God with man22For I do not know how long I will continue, and whether, after a while, my Maker might take me away
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