The first part of verse 6 is still in prose. The identification of Elihu is repeated as in verse 1, except his belonging to the “family of Ram.” Good News Translation does not repeat his kinship identification but shows that the following words are those of Elihu by placing “Elihu” in italics at the beginning of the speech. For answered see comments on 4.1.

Elihu is speaking to the three friends and does not address Job directly, not until 33.1. In many languages the plural form of you should be used.

I am younger in years translates the Hebrew for “I am younger in days,” similar to 30.1, where the expression is “I am smaller in days” and has the same meaning as the expression here. In translation in years will often be unnecessary. And you are aged: that is, “You (plural) are old men.” In 12.12 Job said “wisdom is with the aged.” Elihu, however, does not consider age as a proof of wisdom.

The reason Elihu has not expressed his thoughts is that I was timid and afraid. Timid translates a verb found only here in the Old Testament. The two terms timid and afraid have the same meaning, and so many translators, like Good News Translation, render them as a single expression such as “I was afraid” or “I was shy.” Declare my opinion is not a good rendering, nor is Good News Translation‘s “tell you what I think.” Elihu is not speaking so modestly as to refer to his opinion, but rather to his “knowledge,” and so the meaning of the Hebrew is really “in order to expose my knowledge to you,” “so as to tell you what I know.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, Wiliam. A Handbook on Job. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1992. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .