Job 32
Wycliffe's Bible
1Forsooth these three men left off to answer Job, for he seemed a just man to them. (And then these three men gave up trying to answer Job, for he continued to see himself as a righteous, or an innocent, man.) 2And Elihu, the son of Barachel (the) Buzite, of the kindred of Ram, was wroth, and had indignation; and he was wroth against Job, for he said himself to be just before God (and he was angry against Job, for he had said himself to be righteous before God). 3And also Elihu had indignation against the three friends of Job, for they had found no reasonable answer, but only had condemned Job (but had only condemned Job). 4Therefore Elihu abode Job speaking, for they, that spake, were elder men. (And so Elihu waited for Job to finish speaking, for all those, who spoke, were older than he was.) 5But when he had seen, that these three men might not answer Job, he was wroth greatly (he was very angry).

6And Elihu, the son of Barachel (the) Buzite, answered, and said, I am younger in time, and ye be elder; therefore with head holden down, I dreaded to show to you my sentence. (And Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, answered, and said, I am younger in age, and ye be older; and so with my face cast down, I feared to tell you my thinking.)

7For I hoped that [the] longer age should speak, and that the multitude of years should teach wisdom.

8But as I see now, a spirit is in men, and the inspiration, either revelation, of Almighty God giveth understanding.

9Men of long life be not (always) wise, and eld men understand not doom. (Men of long life do not always be wise, nor do old men always have judgement, or know what is right.)

10Therefore I shall say, Hear ye me, and I also shall show my knowing to you. (And so I say, Listen ye to me, and I shall show my knowledge to you.)

11For I abode your words, I heard your prudence, as long as ye disputed in your words. (For I waited on your words, and I listened to your thinking, for as long as ye disputed with your words.)

12And as long as I guessed you to say anything, I beheld; but as I perceive, there is none of you, that may reprove Job, and answer to his words; (And for as long as I thought, that any of you had something of value to say, I listened; but now I perceive, that none of you can rebuke Job, or make an answer to his words;)

13lest peradventure ye say, We have found wisdom; God, and not man, hath cast him away. (lest perhaps ye say, We have found wisdom; but it is God who hath thrown him away, and not man.)

14Job spake nothing to me, and I not by your words shall answer him. (Job spoke to you, and said nothing to me, but I shall not shall answer him with words like yours.)

15They [much] dreaded, and answered no more, and took away speech from themselves. (For, Job, they be afraid, and have no more answers, and nothing left to say.)

16Therefore since I abode, and they spake not, they stood, and answered no more; (And so, since I waited, and now they speak no more, but stand silent, and have no more answers,)

17also I shall answer my part, and I shall show my knowing. (now I shall state my part, and I shall say what I think.)

18For I am full of words, and the spirit of my womb, that is, (my) mind, constraineth me.

19Lo! my womb is as must without (a) spigot/without (a) faucet, either a venting, that bursteth new vessels.

20I shall speak, and (then) breathe again a little; I shall open my lips, and I shall answer (you).

21I shall not take the person of a man, and I shall not make God even to man. (I shall not show favour to anyone, and I shall not make God equal to people.)

22For I know not how long I shall abide alive, and if my Maker will take me away after a little time.

WYCLIFFE’S BIBLE

Comprising of
Wycliffe’s Old Testament

and

Wycliffe’s New Testament
(Revised Edition)


Translated by

JOHN WYCLIFFE
and JOHN PURVEY


A modern-spelling edition of their
14TH century Middle English translation,
the first complete English vernacular version,
with an Introduction by

TERENCE P. NOBLE

Used by Permission

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