Elihu speaks

Job, listen to me!

1Job, listen to me!

Pay close attention.

2-3Everything I will say

is true and sincere,

4just as surely as the Spirit

of God All-Powerful33.4 the Spirit of God All-Powerful: Or “God All-Powerful”.

gave me the breath of life.

5Now line up your arguments

and prepare to face me.

6We were each made from clay,

and God has no favourites,

7so don't be afraid of me

or what I might do.

I have heard you argue

8I have heard you argue

9that you are innocent,

guilty of nothing.

10You claim that God

has made you his enemy,

11that he has bound your feet33.11: Job 13.27.

and blocked your path.

12But, Job, you're wrong—

God is greater

than any human.

13So why do you challenge God

to answer you?33.13 answer you: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 13.

14God speaks in different ways,

and we don't always

recognize his voice.

15-16Sometimes in the night,33.15: Job 4.13.

he uses terrifying dreams

to give us warnings.

17God does this to make us turn

from sin and pride

18and to protect us

from being swept away

to the world of the dead.

19Sometimes we are punished

with a serious illness

and aching joints.

20Merely the thought

of our favourite food

makes our stomachs sick,

21and we become so skinny

that our bones stick out.

22We feel death and the grave

taking us in their grip.

23One of a thousand angels

then comes to our rescue

by saying we are innocent.

24The angel shows kindness,

commanding death to release us,

because the price was paid.

25Our health is restored,

we feel young again,

26and we ask God to accept us.

Then we joyfully worship God,

and we are rewarded

because we are innocent.

27When that happens,

we tell everyone,

“I sinned and did wrong,

but God forgave me

28and rescued me from death!

Now I will see the light.”

29God gives each of us

chance after chance

30to be saved from death

and brought into the light

that gives life.

31So, Job, pay attention

and don't interrupt,

32though I would gladly listen

to anything you say

that proves you are right.

33Otherwise, listen in silence

to my wisdom.