Elihu Claims to Speak for God

1 “However now, Job, please hear my speech,
          And listen to all my words.

2 “Behold now, I open my mouth,
          My tongue in my mouth speaks.

3 “My words are from the uprightness of my heart,
          And my lips speak knowledge sincerely.

4 “The Spirit of God has made me,
          And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

5 “Refute me if you can;
          Array yourselves before me, take your stand.

6 “Behold, I belong to God like you;
          I too have been formed out of the clay.

7 “Behold, no fear of me should terrify you,
          Nor should my pressure weigh heavily on you.

8 “Surely you have spoken in my hearing,
          And I have heard the sound of your words:

9 ‘I am pure, without transgression;
          I am innocent and there is no guilt in me.

10 ‘Behold, He invents pretexts against me;
          He counts me as His enemy.

11 ‘He puts my feet in the stocks;
          He watches all my paths.’

12 “Behold, let me tell you, you are not right in this,
          For God is greater than man.

13 “Why do you complain against Him
          That He does not give an account of all His doings?

14 “Indeed God speaks once,
          Or twice, yet no one notices it.

15 “In a dream, a vision of the night,
          When sound sleep falls on men,
          While they slumber in their beds,

16 Then He opens the ears of men,
          And seals their instruction,

17 That He may turn man aside from his conduct,
          And keep man from pride;

18 He keeps back his soul from the pit,
          And his life from passing over into Sheol.

19 “Man is also chastened with pain on his bed,
          And with unceasing complaint in his bones;

20 So that his life loathes bread,
          And his soul favorite food.

21 “His flesh wastes away from sight,
          And his bones which were not seen stick out.

22 “Then his soul draws near to the pit,
          And his life to those who bring death.

23 “If there is an angel as mediator for him,
          One out of a thousand,
          To remind a man what is right for him,

24 Then let him be gracious to him, and say,
          ‘Deliver him from going down to the pit,
          I have found a ransom’;

25 Let his flesh become fresher than in youth,
          Let him return to the days of his youthful vigor;

26 Then he will pray to God, and He will accept him,
          That he may see His face with joy,
          And He may restore His righteousness to man.

27 “He will sing to men and say,
          ‘I have sinned and perverted what is right,
          And it is not proper for me.

28 ‘He has redeemed my soul from going to the pit,
          And my life shall see the light.’

29 “Behold, God does all these oftentimes with men,

30 To bring back his soul from the pit,
          That he may be enlightened with the light of life.

31 “Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;
          Keep silent, and let me speak.

32 “Then if you have anything to say, answer me;
          Speak, for I desire to justify you.

33 “If not, listen to me;
          Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”