Job 34:34

“Those who have sense will say to me.” It seems that, as his friends, with the silence that they have observed, approve and ascribe to their praise the fact that they have endured those arguments that were said by him, so holy Job praises himself for what he has demonstrated with his words.

Let men of understanding speak to me, and let a wise man hear me. But Job hath spoken foolishly, and his words sound not of discipline.

Lo, how he lays open that, which he was cherishing within, when, as if humbly, he allows blessed Job to speak; saying, Let men of understanding speak to me. For if blessed Job were to presume to speak, he would have disdained him, as though he could not understand his words. And, because he considered that blessed Job was unworthy not only to speak with, but even to hear, him, he immediately added, Let a wise man hear me. As if he were to say, This man is unfairly permitted to speak, who is not worthy even to hear the words of wise men. And he presently shews plainly, how contemptibly he thinks of him, saying, But Job hath spoken foolishly, and his words sound not of discipline. He believed that blessed Job had spoken without discipline, because he said, that he had been just in his doings. Eliu would perhaps be speaking truly, if the Author of discipline had not Himself agreed with what blessed Job had said of himself. For Job asserted that he had been scourged undeservedly, whom God declared also to have been smitten without reason. What haughtiness then did the voice of the sufferer utter, which did not at all differ from the sentence of the Smiter? Those persons are inconsiderately humble, who, whilst they avoid pride, ensnare themselves in falsehood. Nay rather, they shew pride in their falsehood; because they set themselves up against the truth, which they abandon. For he, who states of himself good qualities, which are true, when necessity compels, the more closely is united to humility, the more he adheres also to truth. Was not Paul humble, when from zeal for the truth against false Apostles, he related to his disciples so many bold deeds concerning himself? For he would doubtless be an enemy of truth, if, by concealing his own good qualities, he had allowed the preachers of errors to gain strength.

But because proud men, in that they haughtily examine the sayings of the righteous, consider rather the surface of the words, than the order of the matters, Eliu believed that the sentiments of blessed Job had not sounded of discipline. But since the asperity of haughty men extends sometimes as far as to the severity of cursing, he immediately, as if speaking to God, subjoins against blessed Job,

But lest Eliphaz seem to have said this because he doubted his own justice and the truth of his words, he consequently intends to assert that Job lacks both wisdom and understanding, and because of this he judges him unworthy to debate with him. The opponent in a disputation must have the sharpness of understanding required especially to find reasonable ways to prove his proposition. So he says, "Let intelligent men speak to me," and make objections against me. The other part of the debate belongs to the one answering who must especially have the wisdom required to judge well about the things which he heard and so he says, "and let a wise man hear me," for I am an opponent ready to discuss.