The Youngest Voice in the Room.

וַֽיִּשְׁבְּת֡וּ שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים הָ֭אֵלֶּה מֵעֲנ֣וֹת אֶת־אִיּ֑וֹב כִּ֤י ה֖וּא צַדִּ֣יק בְּעֵינָֽיו׃ פ

So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.

וַיִּ֤חַר אַ֨ף׀ אֱלִיה֣וּא בֶן־בַּרַכְאֵ֣ל הַבּוּזִי֮ מִמִּשְׁפַּ֪חַ֫ת רָ֥ם בְּ֭אִיּוֹב חָרָ֣ה אַפּ֑וֹ עַֽל־צַדְּק֥וֹ נַ֝פְשׁ֗וֹ מֵאֱלֹהִֽים׃

[2] Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, burned with anger. He burned with anger at Job because he justified himself rather than God.

וּבִשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת רֵעָיו֮ חָרָ֪ה אַ֫פּ֥וֹ עַ֤ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־מָצְא֣וּ מַעֲנֶ֑ה וַ֝יַּרְשִׁ֗יעוּ אֶת־אִיּֽוֹב׃

[3] He burned with anger also at Job's three friends because they had found no answer, although they had declared Job to be in the wrong.

וֶֽאֱלִיה֗וּ חִכָּ֣ה אֶת־אִ֭יּוֹב בִּדְבָרִ֑ים כִּ֤י זְֽקֵנִים־הֵ֖מָּה מִמֶּ֣נּוּ לְיָמִֽים׃

[4] Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because they were older than he.

וַיַּ֤רְא אֱלִיה֗וּא כִּ֘י אֵ֤ין מַעֲנֶ֗ה בְּ֭פִי שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁ֗ים וַיִּ֥חַר אַפּֽוֹ׃ פ

[5] And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three men, he burned with anger.

וַיַּ֤עַן׀ אֱלִיה֖וּא בֶן־בַּֽרַכְאֵ֥ל הַבּוּזִ֗י וַיֹּ֫אמַ֥ר צָ֘עִ֤יר אֲנִ֣י לְ֭יָמִים וְאַתֶּ֣ם יְשִׁישִׁ֑ים עַל־כֵּ֖ן זָחַ֥לְתִּי וָֽאִירָ֓א׀ מֵחַוֺּ֖ת דֵּעִ֣י אֶתְכֶֽם׃

[6] And Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered and said: “I am young in years, and you are aged; therefore I was timid and afraid to declare my opinion to you.

אָ֭מַרְתִּי יָמִ֣ים יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ וְרֹ֥ב שָׁ֝נִ֗ים יֹדִ֥יעוּ חָכְמָֽה׃

[7] I said, ‘Let days speak, and many years teach wisdom.’

אָ֭כֵן רֽוּחַ־הִ֣יא בֶאֱנ֑וֹשׁ וְנִשְׁמַ֖ת שַׁדַּ֣י תְּבִינֵֽם׃

[8] But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand.

לֹֽא־רַבִּ֥ים יֶחְכָּ֑מוּ וּ֝זְקֵנִ֗ים יָבִ֥ינוּ מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

[9] It is not the old who are wise, nor the aged who understand what is right.

לָכֵ֣ן אָ֭מַרְתִּי שִׁמְעָה־לִּ֑י אֲחַוֶּ֖ה דֵּעִ֣י אַף־אָֽנִי׃

[10] Therefore I say, ‘Listen to me; let me also declare my opinion.’

הֵ֤ן הוֹחַ֨לְתִּי לְֽדִבְרֵיכֶ֗ם אָ֭זִין עַד־תְּב֥וּנֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם עַֽד־תַּחְקְר֥וּן מִלִּֽין׃

[11] “Behold, I waited for your words, I listened for your wise sayings, while you searched out what to say.

וְעָֽדֵיכֶ֗ם אֶתְבּ֫וֹנָ֥ן וְהִנֵּ֤ה אֵ֣ין לְאִיּ֣וֹב מוֹכִ֑יחַ עוֹנֶ֖ה אֲמָרָ֣יו מִכֶּֽם׃

[12] I gave you my attention, and, behold, there was none among you who refuted Job or who answered his words.

פֶּן־תֹּ֣֭אמְרוּ מָצָ֣אנוּ חָכְמָ֑ה אֵ֖ל יִדְּפֶ֣נּוּ לֹא־אִֽישׁ׃

[13] Beware lest you say, ‘We have found wisdom; God may vanquish him, not a man.’

וְלֹא־עָרַ֣ךְ אֵלַ֣י מִלִּ֑ין וּ֝בְאִמְרֵיכֶ֗ם לֹ֣א אֲשִׁיבֶֽנּוּ׃

[14] He has not directed his words against me, and I will not answer him with your speeches.

חַ֭תּוּ לֹא־עָ֣נוּ ע֑וֹד הֶעְתִּ֖יקוּ מֵהֶ֣ם מִלִּֽים׃

[15] “They are dismayed; they answer no more; they have not a word to say.

וְ֭הוֹחַלְתִּי כִּי־לֹ֣א יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ כִּ֥י עָ֝מְד֗וּ לֹא־עָ֥נוּ עֽוֹד׃

[16] And shall I wait, because they do not speak, because they stand there, and answer no more?

אַעֲנֶ֣ה אַף־אֲנִ֣י חֶלְקִ֑י אֲחַוֶּ֖ה דֵעִ֣י אַף־אָֽנִי׃

[17] I also will answer with my share; I also will declare my opinion.

כִּ֭י מָלֵ֣תִי מִלִּ֑ים הֱ֝צִיקַ֗תְנִי ר֣וּחַ בִּטְנִֽי׃

[18] For I am full of words; the spirit within me constrains me.

הִנֵּֽה־בִטְנִ֗י כְּיַ֥יִן לֹא־יִפָּתֵ֑חַ כְּאֹב֥וֹת חֲ֝דָשִׁ֗ים יִבָּקֵֽעַ׃

[19] Behold, my belly is like wine that has no vent; like new wineskins ready to burst.

אֲדַבְּרָ֥ה וְיִֽרְוַֽח־לִ֑י אֶפְתַּ֖ח שְׂפָתַ֣י וְאֶֽעֱנֶֽה׃

[20] I must speak, that I may find relief; I must open my lips and answer.

אַל־נָ֭א אֶשָּׂ֣א פְנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ וְאֶל־אָ֝דָ֗ם לֹ֣א אֲכַנֶּֽה׃

[21] I will not show partiality to any man or use flattery toward any person.

כִּ֤י לֹ֣א יָדַ֣עְתִּי אֲכַנֶּ֑ה כִּ֝מְעַ֗ט יִשָּׂאֵ֥נִי עֹשֵֽׂנִי׃

[22] For I do not know how to flatter, else my Maker would soon take me away.