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Nehemiah 12

Amplified Bible, 2015 (AMP)

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¹ "Have I concealed my transgressions like Adam or like other men, By hiding my wickedness in my bosom,

² Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence and did not acknowledge my sin and did not go out of the door?

³ "Oh, that I had one to listen to me! Look, here is my signature (mark); Let the Almighty answer me! Let my adversary write out His indictment [and put His vague accusations in tangible form].

⁴ "Surely I would [proudly] bear it on my shoulder, And bind the scroll around my head like a crown.

⁵ "I would count out to Him the number of my steps [with every detail of my life], Approaching His presence as if I were a prince.

⁶ "For if my land has cried out against me, And its furrows weep together;

⁷ If I have eaten its fruits without paying for them, Or have caused its [rightful] owners to lose their lives,

⁸ Let thorns grow instead of wheat, And stinkweed and cockleburs instead of barley." So the words of Job [with his friends] are finished.

⁹ So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes [and could not be persuaded otherwise by them].

¹⁰ But Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became indignant. His indignation was kindled and burned and he became upset with Job because he justified himself rather than God [and even expressed doubts about God's character].

¹¹ Elihu's anger burned against Job's three friends because they had found no answer [and were unable to determine Job's error], and yet they had condemned Job and declared him to be in the wrong [and responsible for his own afflictions].

¹² Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because the others were years older than he.

¹³ And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouths of these three men, he burned with anger.

¹⁴ Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite said, "I am young, and you are aged; For that reason I was anxious and dared not tell you what I think.

¹⁵ "I thought age should speak, And a multitude of years should teach wisdom.

¹⁶ "But there is [a vital force and] a spirit [of intelligence] in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.

¹⁷ "Those [who are] abundant in years may not [always] be wise, Nor may the elders [always] understand justice.

¹⁸ "Therefore I say, 'Listen to me; I also will give you my opinion [about Job's situation] and tell you plainly what I think.'

¹⁹ "You see, I waited for your words, I listened to your [wise] reasons, While you pondered and searched out what to say.

²⁰ "I even paid close attention to [what] you [said], Indeed, not one of you convinced Job [nor could you refute him], Not one of you supplied [satisfactory] answers to his words.

²¹ "Beware if you say, 'We have found wisdom; God thrusts Job down [justly], not man [for God alone is dealing with him].'

²² "Now Job has not directed his words against me [therefore I have no reason to be offended], Nor will I answer him with arguments like yours. [I speak for truth, not for revenge.]

²³ "They (Job's friends) are dismayed and embarrassed, they no longer answer; The words have moved away and failed them," [says Elihu].

²⁴ "And shall I wait, because they say nothing, But stand still and say no more?

²⁵ "I too will give my share of answers; I too will express my opinion and share my knowledge.

²⁶ "For I am full of words; The spirit within me constrains me.

²⁷ "My belly is like unvented wine; Like new wineskins it is about to burst.

²⁸ "I must speak so that I may get relief; I will open my lips and answer.

²⁹ "I will not [I warn you] be partial to any man [that is, let my respect for you mitigate what I say]; Nor flatter any man.

³⁰ "For I do not know how to flatter, [in an appropriate way, and I fear that], My Maker would soon take me away.

³¹ "However, Job, please listen to my words, And pay attention to everything I say.

³² "Behold, I have opened my mouth [to begin my speech]; My tongue in my mouth is going to speak.

³³ "My words will express the uprightness of my heart, And my lips will speak what they know with utter sincerity.

³⁴ "The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of[1] the Almighty gives me life [which inspires me].

³⁵ "Answer me, if you can; Set yourselves before me, take your stand.

³⁶ "Behold, I belong to God like you; I too was formed out of the clay.

³⁷ "Behold, I will not make you afraid or terrified of me [for I am only mortal and not God], Nor should any pressure from me weigh heavily upon you.

³⁸ "Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words, saying:

³⁹ 'I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent and there is no guilt in me.

⁴⁰ 'Behold, God finds pretexts against me; He counts me as His enemy.

⁴¹ 'He puts my feet in the stocks [to hinder and humiliate me]; He [suspiciously] watches all my paths,' [you say].

⁴² "Look, let me answer you, in this you are not right or just; For God is greater and far superior to man.

⁴³ "Why do you complain against Him? That He does not answer [you with] all His doings.

⁴⁴ "For God speaks once, And even twice, yet no one notices it [including you, Job].

⁴⁵ "In a dream, a vision of the night [one may hear God's voice], When deep sleep falls on men While slumbering upon the bed,

⁴⁶ Then He opens the ears of men And seals their instruction,

⁴⁷ That He may turn man aside from his conduct, And keep him from pride;

#	AMP
1	"Have I concealed my transgressions like Adam or like other men, By hiding my wickedness in my bosom,
2	Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence and did not acknowledge my sin and did not go out of the door?
3	"Oh, that I had one to listen to me! Look, here is my signature (mark); Let the Almighty answer me! Let my adversary write out His indictment [and put His vague accusations in tangible form].
4	"Surely I would [proudly] bear it on my shoulder, And bind the scroll around my head like a crown.
5	"I would count out to Him the number of my steps [with every detail of my life], Approaching His presence as if I were a prince.
6	"For if my land has cried out against me, And its furrows weep together;
7	If I have eaten its fruits without paying for them, Or have caused its [rightful] owners to lose their lives,
8	Let thorns grow instead of wheat, And stinkweed and cockleburs instead of barley." So the words of Job [with his friends] are finished.
9	So these three men ceased answering Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes [and could not be persuaded otherwise by them].
10	But Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became indignant. His indignation was kindled and burned and he became upset with Job because he justified himself rather than God [and even expressed doubts about God's character].
11	Elihu's anger burned against Job's three friends because they had found no answer [and were unable to determine Job's error], and yet they had condemned Job and declared him to be in the wrong [and responsible for his own afflictions].
12	Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job because the others were years older than he.
13	And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouths of these three men, he burned with anger.
14	Then Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite said, "I am young, and you are aged; For that reason I was anxious and dared not tell you what I think.
15	"I thought age should speak, And a multitude of years should teach wisdom.
16	"But there is [a vital force and] a spirit [of intelligence] in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.
17	"Those [who are] abundant in years may not [always] be wise, Nor may the elders [always] understand justice.
18	"Therefore I say, 'Listen to me; I also will give you my opinion [about Job's situation] and tell you plainly what I think.'
19	"You see, I waited for your words, I listened to your [wise] reasons, While you pondered and searched out what to say.
20	"I even paid close attention to [what] you [said], Indeed, not one of you convinced Job [nor could you refute him], Not one of you supplied [satisfactory] answers to his words.
21	"Beware if you say, 'We have found wisdom; God thrusts Job down [justly], not man [for God alone is dealing with him].'
22	"Now Job has not directed his words against me [therefore I have no reason to be offended], Nor will I answer him with arguments like yours. [I speak for truth, not for revenge.]
23	"They (Job's friends) are dismayed and embarrassed, they no longer answer; The words have moved away and failed them," [says Elihu].
24	"And shall I wait, because they say nothing, But stand still and say no more?
25	"I too will give my share of answers; I too will express my opinion and share my knowledge.
26	"For I am full of words; The spirit within me constrains me.
27	"My belly is like unvented wine; Like new wineskins it is about to burst.
28	"I must speak so that I may get relief; I will open my lips and answer.
29	"I will not [I warn you] be partial to any man [that is, let my respect for you mitigate what I say]; Nor flatter any man.
30	"For I do not know how to flatter, [in an appropriate way, and I fear that], My Maker would soon take me away.
31	"However, Job, please listen to my words, And pay attention to everything I say.
32	"Behold, I have opened my mouth [to begin my speech]; My tongue in my mouth is going to speak.
33	"My words will express the uprightness of my heart, And my lips will speak what they know with utter sincerity.
34	"The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of[1] the Almighty gives me life [which inspires me].
35	"Answer me, if you can; Set yourselves before me, take your stand.
36	"Behold, I belong to God like you; I too was formed out of the clay.
37	"Behold, I will not make you afraid or terrified of me [for I am only mortal and not God], Nor should any pressure from me weigh heavily upon you.
38	"Surely you have spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the sound of your words, saying:
39	'I am pure, without transgression; I am innocent and there is no guilt in me.
40	'Behold, God finds pretexts against me; He counts me as His enemy.
41	'He puts my feet in the stocks [to hinder and humiliate me]; He [suspiciously] watches all my paths,' [you say].
42	"Look, let me answer you, in this you are not right or just; For God is greater and far superior to man.
43	"Why do you complain against Him? That He does not answer [you with] all His doings.
44	"For God speaks once, And even twice, yet no one notices it [including you, Job].
45	"In a dream, a vision of the night [one may hear God's voice], When deep sleep falls on men While slumbering upon the bed,
46	Then He opens the ears of men And seals their instruction,
47	That He may turn man aside from his conduct, And keep him from pride;

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Nehemiah 12

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