וַיִּשְׁבְּתוּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה מעֲנוֹת אֶת־אִיּוֹב כִּי הוּא צַדִּיק בְּעֵינָיו

These three men, Elifaz, Bildad, and Tzofar, ceased to answer Job because they realized that he would not be persuaded by anything they said, as he was righteous in his own eyes, convinced of his own righteousness.

וַיִּחַר אַף אֱלִיהוּא בֶן־בַּרַכְאֵל הַבּוּזִי מִמִּשְׁפַּחַת רָם בְּאִיּוֹב חָרָה אַפּוֹ עַל־צַדְּקוֹ נַפְשׁוֹ מֵאֱלֹהִים

The wrath of Elihu son of Barakhel the Buzite, from the family of Ram, was enflamed. His wrath was enflamed against Job because he regarded himself as more just than God.

ובִשְׁלֹשֶׁת רֵעָיו חָרָה אַפּוֹ עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹא־מָצְאוּ מַעֲנֶה וַיַּרְשִׁיעוּ אֶת־אִיּוֹב

Against his, Job’s, three friends his wrath was enflamed because they did not find a response to Job’s plight, and therefore they condemned Job.

וֶאֱלִיהוּ חִכָּה אֶת אִיּוֹב בִּדְבָרִים כִּי זְקֵנִים־הֵמָּה מִמֶּנּוּ לְיָמִים

Elihu had waited until this point for Job with his words. Elihu had not yet said anything, as they, Job and his three friends, were older in days than he.

וַיַּרְא אֱלִיהוּא כִּי אֵין מַעֲנֶה בְּפִי שְׁלֹשֶׁת הָאֲנָשִׁים וַיִּחַר אַפּוֹ

Elihu saw that there was no response in the mouths of the three men, and his wrath was enflamed to the point that he felt he had to interject.

וַיַּעַן אֱלִיהוּא בֶן־בַּרַכְאֵל הַבּוּזִי וַיֹּאמַר צָעִיר אֲנִי לְיָמִים וְאַתֶּם יְשִׁישִׁים עַל־כֵּן זָחַלְתִּי וָאִירָא מֵחַוֹּת דֵּעִי אֶתְכֶם

Elihu son of Barakhel the Buzite answered and said: I am young in days, and you are old; therefore, I was intimidated, and I feared expressing my opinion to you. I was afraid of speaking in your presence.

אָמַרְתִּי יָמִים יְדַבֵּרוּ וְרֹב שָׁנִים יֹדִיעוּ חָכְמָה

I said to myself: Age should speak, and the multitude of years should expound wisdom. I assumed that the longer a person lives, the greater his wisdom would be.

אָכֵן רוּחַ־הִיא בֶאֱנוֹשׁ וְנִשְׁמַת שַׁדַּי תְּבִינֵם

Indeed, in truth, it, wisdom, is a spirit in man, and the soul from the Almighty causes them, men, to understand. One receives insight through the soul, which comes from God; it does not depend on age.

לֹא־רַבִּים יֶחְכָּמוּ וזְקֵנִים יָבִינוּ מִשְׁפָּט

It is not the mature ones who become wise or the elderly who always understand judgment.

לָכֵן אָמַרְתִּי שִׁמְעָה־לִי אֲחַוֶּה דֵעִי אַף־אָנִי

Therefore, I say: Listen to me; I too will express my opinion.

הֵן הוֹחַלְתִּי לְדִבְרֵיכֶם אָזִין עַד תְּבוּנֹתֵיכֶם עַד־תַּחְקְרוּן מִלִּין

Behold, I waited for, anticipated, your words; I listened to your insights until you had investigated with words, until you had found the right words and completed all your arguments.

וְעָדֵיכֶם אֶתְבּוֹנָן וְהִנֵּה אֵין לְאִיּוֹב מוֹכִיחַ עוֹנֶה אֲמָרָיו מִכֶּם

I look to you, I am watching you, and behold, there is no one among you arguing successfully against Job, properly answering his statements.

פֶּן־תֹּאמְרוּ מָצָאנוּ חָכְמָה אֵל יִדְּפֶנּוּ לֹא־אִישׁ

Lest you insist and say: For our part, we have found wisdom, and we understand the reason for Job’s suffering, know that only God will vanquish him, Job, not man, as no one can refute his claims.

וְלֹא־עָרַךְ אֵלַי מִלִּין ובְאִמְרֵיכֶם לֹא אֲשִׁיבֶנּוּ

True, he, Job, did not direct his words to me, and he was not arguing with me. And still, even if he had, with your statements, I would not answer him.

חַתּוּ לֹא־עָנוּ עוֹד הֶעְתִּיקוּ מֵהֶם מִלִּים

They, the friends, are afraid, they do not answer anymore; words are removed from them.

וְהוֹחַלְתִּי כִּי־לֹא יְדַבֵּרוּ כִּי עָמְדוּ לֹא־עָנוּ עוֹד

I waited until they, the friends, were not speaking, for them to cease and not answer anymore.

אַעֲנֶה אַף־אֲנִי חֶלְקִי אֲחַוֶּה דֵעִי אַף־אָנִי

Since the friends were unable to win the argument, I too will answer my part; I too will express my opinion.

כִּי מָלֵתִי מִלִּים הֱצִיקַתְנִי רוּחַ בִּטְנִי

For I am full of words; the spirit in my belly, full of tempestuous thoughts and emotions, is bothering me.

הִנֵּה בִטְנִי כְּיַיִן לֹא־יִפָּתֵחַ כְּאֹבוֹת חֲדָשִׁים יִבָּקֵעַ

Behold, my belly is agitated, like an unopened, sealed vessel of fermenting wine; like new wineskins, it will burst. When wine ferments in a new container, the pressure inside the vessel increases as the wine ferments until it eventually smashes the vessel or bursts open the wineskin.

אֲדַבְּרָה וְיִרְוַח־לִי אֶפְתַּח שְׂפָתַי וְאֶעֱנֶה

Therefore, I will speak and be relieved; I will open my lips and answer. At long last, I will express myself.

אַל־נָא אֶשָּׂא פְנֵי אִישׁ וְאֶל־אָדָם לֹא אֲכַנֶּה

Please, let me not show favor to any man. I will flatter no one, and I will give titles to no person. I will not address them with honorary names, or in an indirect, deferential manner.

כִּי לֹא יָדַעְתִּי אֲכַנֶּה כִּמְעַט יִשָּׂאֵנִי עֹשֵׂנִי

For I do not know how to give titles. It is not my way to address people according to the dictates of etiquette or to speak in a cultured manner. Moreover, I do not value such efforts, as the matters of which I wish to speak are too important and are also rather urgent. In a moment, my Maker would carry me away. In a flash, God could take my life.