Elihu Confronts Job

1But now, Job, pay attention to my speech,

and listen to all my words.

2I am going to open my mouth;

my tongue will form words on my palate.

3My words come from my uprighta heart,

and my lips speak with sincerity what they know.

4The Spirit of God has made me,

and the breath of the Almightya gives me life.b

5Refute me if you can.

Preparea your case against me; take your stand.b

6I am just like you before God;

I was also pinched off from a piece of clay.a

7Feara of me should not terrify you;

no pressure from me should weigh you down.

8Surely you have spoken in my hearing,

and I have heard these veryA words:

9“I am pure, without transgression;

I am clean and have no iniquity.a

10But he finds reasons to oppose me;

he regards me as his enemy.a

11He puts my feet in the stocks;

he stands watcha over all my paths.”

12But I tell you that you are wrong in this matter,

since God is greater than man.a

13Why do you takea him to court

for not answering anything a person asks?A

14For God speaks time and again,

but a person may not notice it.

15In a dream, a visiona in the night,

when deep sleep comes over peopleb

as they slumber on their beds,

16he uncovers their earsa

and terrifies themA with warnings,

17in order to turn a person from his actions

and suppress the pride of a person.

18God spares his soul from the Pit,a

his life from crossing the river of death.A

19A person may be disciplined on his beda with pain

and constant distress in his bones,b

20so that he detests bread,

and his soul despises his favorite food.a

21His flesh wastes away to nothing,A

and his unseen bones stick out.

22He draws near to the Pit,

and his life to the executioners.

23If there is an angela on his side,

one mediator out of a thousand,

to tell a person what is right for himA

24and to be gracious to him and say,

“Spare him from going down to the Pit;

I have found a ransom,”a

25then his flesh will be healthierA than in his youth,

and he will return to the days of his youthful vigor.a

26He will pray to God, and God will delight in him.

That person will see his facea with a shout of joy,

and God will restore his righteousness to him.b

27He will look at men and say,

“I have sinned and perverted what was right;

yet I did not get what I deserved.A

28He redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit,

and I will continue to see the light.”

29God certainly does all these things

two or three times to a person

30in order to turn him back from the Pit,

so he may shine with the light of life.a

31Pay attention, Job, and listen to me.

Be quiet, and I will speak.

32But if you have something to say,A answer me;

speak, for I would like to justify you.

33If not, then listen to me;

be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.