Job 32 - Easy To Read Version

¹ Then Job’s three friends gave up trying to answer Job. They gave up because Job was so sure that he himself was truly innocent.

² But there was a young man there named Elihu son of Barakel. Barakel was a descendant {\cf2\super [69]} of a man named Buz. Elihu was from the family of Ram. Elihu became very angry with Job. Why? Because Job was saying that he himself was right. Job was saying that he was more fair than God.

³ Elihu was also angry with Job’s three friends. Why? Because Job’s three friends could not answer Job’s questions. They could not prove that Job was wrong.

⁴ Elihu was the youngest person there, so he had waited until everyone was finished talking. Then he felt like he could begin to talk.

⁵ But then Elihu saw that Job’s three friends had nothing more to say. So he became angry.

⁶ So Elihu began to talk. He said:

⁷ I thought to myself,\par ‘Older people should speak first.\par Older people have lived many years.\par So they have learned many things.’\par

⁸ But God’s Spirit makes a person wise.\par That ‘breath’ from God All-Powerful\par makes people understand.\par

⁹ Old men are not the only wise people.\par Old people are not the only people\par that understand what is right.\par

¹⁰ “So please listen to me!\par And I will tell you what I think.\par

¹¹ I waited patiently while you men talked.\par I listened to the answers\par that you gave to Job.\par

¹² I listened carefully to the things you said.\par Not one of you criticized Job.\par Not one of you answered his arguments.\par

¹³ You three men can’t say\par that you have found wisdom.\par God must answer Job’s arguments,\par not people.\par

¹⁴ Job did not present his arguments to me.\par So I won’t use the arguments\par you three men have used.\par

¹⁵ “Job, these men lost the argument.\par They don’t have anything more to say.\par They don’t have any more answers.\par

¹⁶ Job, I waited for these men to answer you.\par But now, they are quiet.\par They have stopped arguing with you.\par

¹⁷ So now, I will give you my answer.\par Yes, I will tell you what I think.\par

¹⁸ I have so much to say,\par that I am about to explode.\par

¹⁹ I am like a bottle of new wine\par that hasn’t been opened.\par I am like a new wineskin\par that is ready to break open.\par

²⁰ So I must speak.\par Then I will feel better.\par I must speak and answer Job’s arguments.\par

²¹ I must treat Job the same\par as I would treat any other person.\par I will not try to say nice things to him.\par \{I will say what I must say.\}\par

²² I can’t treat one person\par better another person!\par If I did that,\par