Elihu Rebukes Job’s Friends
וַֽיִּשְׁבְּת֡וּ שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים הָ֭אֵלֶּה מֵעֲנ֣וֹת אֶת־אִיּ֑וֹב כִּ֤י ה֖וּא צַדִּ֣יק בְּעֵינָֽיו׃ פ
So these three men stopped answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
וַיִּ֤חַר אַ֨ף׀ אֱלִיה֣וּא בֶן־בַּרַכְאֵ֣ל הַבּוּזִי֮ מִמִּשְׁפַּ֪חַ֫ת רָ֥ם בְּ֭אִיּוֹב חָרָ֣ה אַפּ֑וֹ עַֽל־צַדְּק֥וֹ נַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹ מֵאֱלֹהִֽים׃
This kindled the anger of Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram. He burned with anger against Job for justifying himself rather than God,
וּבִשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת רֵעָיו֮ חָרָ֪ה אַ֫פּ֥וֹ עַ֤ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־מָצְא֣וּ מַעֲנֶ֑ה וַ֝יַּרְשִׁ֗יעוּ אֶת־אִיּֽוֹב׃
and he burned with anger against Job’s three friends because they had failed to refute Job, and yet had condemned him.
וֶֽאֱלִיה֗וּ חִכָּ֣ה אֶת־אִ֭יּוֹב בִּדְבָרִ֑ים כִּ֤י זְֽקֵנִים־הֵ֖מָּה מִמֶּ֣נּוּ לְיָמִֽים׃
Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because the others were older than he.
וַיַּ֤רְא אֱלִיה֗וּא כִּ֘י אֵ֤ין מַעֲנֶ֗ה בְּ֭פִי שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים וַיִּ֥חַר אַפּֽוֹ׃ פ
But when he saw that the three men had no further reply, his anger was kindled.
וַיַּ֤עַן׀ אֱלִיה֖וּא בֶן־בַּֽרַכְאֵ֥ל הַבּוּזִ֗י וַיֹּ֫אמַ֥ר צָ֘עִ֤יר אֲנִ֣י לְ֭יָמִים וְאַתֶּ֣ם יְשִׁישִׁ֑ים עַל־כֵּ֖ן זָחַ֥לְתִּי וָֽאִירָ֓א׀ מֵחַוֹּ֖ת דֵּעִ֣י אֶתְכֶֽם׃
So Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite declared: “I am young in years, while you are old; that is why I was timid and afraid to tell you what I know.
אָ֭מַרְתִּי יָמִ֣ים יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ וְרֹ֥ב שָׁ֝נִ֗ים יֹדִ֥יעוּ חָכְמָֽה׃
I thought that age should speak, and many years should teach wisdom.
אָ֭כֵן רֽוּחַ־הִ֣יא בֶאֱנ֑וֹשׁ וְנִשְׁמַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י תְּבִינֵֽם׃
But there is a spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.
לֹֽא־רַבִּ֥ים יֶחְכָּ֑מוּ וּ֝זְקֵנִ֗ים יָבִ֥ינוּ מִשְׁפָּֽט׃
It is not only the old who are wise, or the elderly who understand justice.
לָכֵ֣ן אָ֭מַרְתִּי שִׁמְעָה־לִּ֑י אֲחַוֶּ֖ה דֵּעִ֣י אַף־אָֽנִי׃
Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me; I too will declare what I know.’
הֵ֤ן הוֹחַ֨לְתִּי לְֽדִבְרֵיכֶ֗ם אָ֭זִין עַד־תְּב֥וּנֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם עַֽד־תַּחְקְר֥וּן מִלִּֽין׃
Indeed, I waited while you spoke; I listened to your reasoning; as you searched for words,
וְעָֽדֵיכֶ֗ם אֶתְבּ֫וֹנָ֥ן וְהִנֵּ֤ה אֵ֣ין לְאִיּ֣וֹב מוֹכִ֑יחַ עוֹנֶ֖ה אֲמָרָ֣יו מִכֶּֽם׃
I paid you full attention. But no one proved Job wrong; not one of you rebutted his arguments.
פֶּן־תֹּ֣֭אמְרוּ מָצָ֣אנוּ חָכְמָ֑ה אֵ֖ל יִדְּפֶ֣נּוּ לֹא־אִֽישׁ׃
So do not claim, ‘We have found wisdom; let God, not man, refute him.’
וְלֹא־עָרַ֣ךְ אֵלַ֣י מִלִּ֑ין וּ֝בְאִמְרֵיכֶ֗ם לֹ֣א אֲשִׁיבֶֽנּוּ׃
But Job has not directed his words against me, and I will not answer him with your arguments.
חַ֭תּוּ לֹא־עָ֣נוּ ע֑וֹד הֶעְתִּ֖יקוּ מֵהֶ֣ם מִלִּֽים׃
Job’s friends are dismayed, with no more to say; words have escaped them.
וְ֭הוֹחַלְתִּי כִּי־לֹ֣א יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ כִּ֥י עָ֝מְד֗וּ לֹא־עָ֥נוּ עֽוֹד׃
Must I wait, now that they are silent, now that they stand and no longer reply?
אַעֲנֶ֣ה אַף־אֲנִ֣י חֶלְקִ֑י אֲחַוֶּ֖ה דֵעִ֣י אַף־אָֽנִי׃
I too will answer; yes, I will declare what I know.
כִּ֭י מָלֵ֣תִי מִלִּ֑ים הֱ֝צִיקַ֗תְנִי ר֣וּחַ בִּטְנִֽי׃
For I am full of words, and my spirit within me compels me.
הִנֵּֽה־בִטְנִ֗י כְּיַ֥יִן לֹא־יִפָּתֵ֑חַ כְּאֹב֥וֹת חֲ֝דָשִׁ֗ים יִבָּקֵֽעַ׃
Behold, my belly is like unvented wine; it is about to burst like a new wineskin.
אֲדַבְּרָ֥ה וְיִֽרְוַֽח־לִ֑י אֶפְתַּ֖ח שְׂפָתַ֣י וְאֶֽעֱנֶֽה׃
I must speak and find relief; I must open my lips and respond.
אַל־נָ֭א אֶשָּׂ֣א פְנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ וְאֶל־אָ֝דָ֗ם לֹ֣א אֲכַנֶּֽה׃
I will be partial to no one, nor will I flatter any man.
כִּ֤י לֹ֣א יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֲכַנֶּ֑ה כִּ֝מְעַ֗ט יִשָּׂאֵ֥נִי עֹשֵֽׂנִי׃
For I do not know how to flatter, or my Maker would remove me in an instant.