Job 34
1 Elihu mah,
Then Elihu continued:
2 nangcae palungha kaminawk, ka lok hae tahngai oh; panoekhaih tawn kaminawk, naa patueng oh.
“Hear my words, O wise men; give ear to me, O men of learning.
3 Pakha mah caaknaek pataengh baktih toengah, naa mah ni lok to khingh.
For the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food.
4 Toenghaih to qoi o si; aimacae han kahoih hmuen to panoek o si.
Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.
5 Job mah, Kai loe ka toeng, ka toenghaih Sithaw mah ang lak pae ving boeh.
For Job has declared, ‘I am righteous, yet God has deprived me of justice.
6 Kai loe ka toeng, toe amsawnlok thui kami ah ka oh, sakpazaehaih ka tawn ai, toe kahoih thai ai nathaih hoiah ka oh, tiah thuih.
Would I lie about my case? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
7 Job hoi anghmong kami mi maw kaom, kasaethuihaih to tui baktih kanae mi maw kaom?
What man is like Job, who drinks up derision like water?
8 Anih loe kahoih ai hmuen sah kaminawk hoiah amyok moe, kasae kaminawk hoiah angkom.
He keeps company with evildoers and walks with wicked men.
9 Sithaw nuiah anghoehaih mah kami han amekhaih tidoeh paek ai, tiah Job mah thuih.
For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight in God.’
10 To pongah panoekhaih tawn kaminawk, ka lok hae tahngai oh; Sithaw loe hmuen kasae sah mak ai, Thacak Angraeng loe hmuen sakpazaehaih roe tawn mak ai.
Therefore listen to me, O men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wrong, and from the Almighty to act unjustly.
11 Kami mah sak ih hmuen baktih toengah Sithaw mah pathok, angmah ih tuinuen baktih toengah, a nuiah phaksak.
For according to a man’s deeds He repays him; according to a man’s ways He brings consequences.
12 Ue, Sithaw loe natuek naa ah doeh kasae hmuen to sah mak ai; Thacak Angraeng loe toenghaih to paqoi ving mak ai.
Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
13 Mi mah maw anih to long khenzawnkung hoi long boih ukkung ah suek?
Who gave Him charge over the earth? Who appointed Him over the whole world?
14 Kami nuiah Sithaw palungphui moe, angmah ih Muithla hoi a hinghaih takhi to la ving nahaeloe,
If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,
15 kaminawk loe nawnto anghma o boih tih, kami loe maiphu ah amlaem let tih.
all flesh would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.
16 Vaihi panoekhaih na tawnh nahaeloe, khopoek ah; ka thuih ih lok hae tahngai ah.
If you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words.
17 Toenghaih hnuma kami mah uk thai tih maw? Thacak toenghaih hoi lokcaekkung to kasae thui thai tih maw?
Could one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One,
18 Siangpahrang khaeah, Nang loe tidoeh avang ai, angraengnawk khaeah, Nangcae loe kahoih ai kami ni, tiah thui thai tih maw?
who says to kings, ‘You are worthless!’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’
19 Toe anih loe angraengnawk ih mikhmai to khen ai, amtang kaminawk pongah loe angraeng kaminawk ni mikhmai paek kue, tiah om ai; nihcae loe Sithaw mah ni sak boih.
who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands.
20 Nihcae loe nawnetta ah duek o; kaminawk loe qum taning ah tasoeh o moe, laemh o boih; thacak kaminawk doeh kami ih ban hoi na ai ah laemh o boih.
They die in an instant, in the middle of the night. The people convulse and pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.
21 Sithaw mah loe kami caehhaih loklam to khet moe, a khok tangkannawk doeh hnuk boih.
For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees his every step.
22 Zaehaih sah kaminawk anghawk ving thaihaih khoving hoi duekhaih tahlip to om ai.
There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity can hide.
23 Lokcaek hanah kami mah Sithaw hmaa ah caeh naah, anih mah kami lokcaekhaih ani to khaeh han angai ai.
For God need not examine a man further or have him approach for judgment.
24 Lokduenghaih om ai ah thacak kaminawk to a vah phaeng moe, nihcae zuengah kalah kaminawk to a suek.
He shatters the mighty without inquiry and sets up others in their place.
25 Nihcae mah sak ih hmuennawk to anih mah panoek boih pongah, khovingsak moe, amrosak boih.
Therefore, He recognizes their deeds; He overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.
26 Nihcae loe angmacae sethaih baktih toengah minawk hmaa ah danpaek,
He strikes them for their wickedness in full view,
27 nihcae loe Sithaw to caeh o taak moe, anih ih loklamnawk to tiah doeh poek o ai;
because they turned aside from Him and had no regard for any of His ways.
28 to tiah sak o pongah amtang kaminawk qahhaih lok to Angraeng hmaa ah phak moe, pacaekthlaek kaminawk hanghaih lok to anih mah thaih.
They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him, and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.
29 Toe Sithaw mah anghngai taak duem nahaeloe, mi mah maw raihaih paek thai tih, a mikhmai hawk ving nahaeloe, mi kawbaktih kami hoi prae kaminawk mah maw, anih to hnu thai tih?
But when He remains silent, who can condemn Him? When He hides His face, who can see Him? Yet He watches over both man and nation,
30 To tiah kaminawk thaang pongah amansak han ai ah, Sithaw panoek ai kaminawk to danpaek.
that godless men should not rule or lay snares for the people.
31 Kami maeto mah Sithaw khaeah, Kai loe thuitaekhaih ka tongh boeh pongah, ka zae let mak ai boeh;
Suppose someone says to God, ‘I have endured my punishment; I will offend no more.
32 ka hnu ai ih hmuen to na patuk ah; zaekhaih ka sakpazae boeh nahaeloe, zaehaih ka sah let mak ai boeh, tiah thuih han om ai maw.
Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’
33 To hmuen loe na poekhaih baktiah maw om tih? Kai na ai ni, na pahnawt cadoeh, na qoih cadoeh, Sithaw mah pathok let tih, to pongah na panoek ih baktiah thui ah.
Should God repay you on your own terms when you have disavowed His? You must choose, not I; so tell me what you know.
34 Panoekhaih tawn kaminawk mah kai han na thui o nasoe loe, palungha kaminawk mah ka lok hae tahngai o nasoe.
Men of understanding will declare to me, and the wise men who hear me will say:
35 Job loe panoekhaih tawn ai ah lok to thuih; a thuih ih loknawk loe palunghahaih om ai.
‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’
36 Job loe panoekhaih tawn ai kaminawk baktiah lokthuih pongah, anih to boeng khoek to tanoek han ka koeh.
If only Job were tried to the utmost for answering like a wicked man.
37 Zaehaih sak khue na ai ah lokaekhaih doeh oh, aicae salakah ban to tabaeng moe, pop parai Sithaw kasae thuihaih lok to a thuih, tiah a naa.
For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.”
