Job 34
1 Moreover Elihu answered, and said,
And Elihu commenced, and said,
2 Hear my words, ye wise men, and give ear to me, ye who have knowledge.
Hear, O ye wise men, my words; and ye that have knowledge, give ear unto me.
3 For the ear tries words as the palate tastes food.
For the ear proveth words, as the palate tasteth the food.
4 Let us choose for us that which is right. Let us know among ourselves what is good.
Let us choose for ourselves what is just: let us acknowledge between ourselves what is good.
5 For Job has said, I am righteous, and God has taken away my right.
For Job hath said, “I am righteous; and God hath taken away justice from me.
6 Notwithstanding my right I am accounted a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.
Should I lie concerning the justice due me? incurable is [my wound from] the arrow I bear in me without any transgression.”
7 What man is like Job, who drinks up scorning like water,
What man is there like Job, who drinketh scorning like water,
8 saying, I have not sinned, nor committed unrighteousness, nor had fellowship with workers of iniquity to go with the profane.
And is on the road to keep company with the wrong-doers, and to walk with men of wickedness?
9 For thou should not say, There shall be no visitation to a man, whereas visitation is to him from the Lord.
For he hath said, “It profiteth a man nothing when he acteth according to the pleasure of God.”
10 Therefore hearken to me, ye men of understanding. Far be it from me to sin before the Lord, and pervert righteousness before the Almighty.
Therefore ye men of sense hearken unto me: far is it from God to practise wickedness; and from the Almighty to do wrong!
11 For the work of a man he will render to him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
For the work of a son of earth doth he recompense unto him, and according to the path of man doth he permit things to occur to him.
12 Yea, certainly God will not do wrong. Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
Yea, surely God will not condemn unjustly, nor will the Almighty pervert justice.
13 Who gave him a charge over the earth? Or who has disposed the whole world?
Who hath given him a charge concerning the earth? or who hath intrusted [him] the whole world?
14 If he sets his heart upon himself, if he gathers his spirit and his breath to himself,
If he were to set his heart upon man, he would gather unto himself his spirit and his breath:
15 all flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again to dust.
All flesh would perish together, and the son of earth would return again unto dust.
16 If now thou be understanding, hear this. Hearken to the voice of words.
If then thou wishest to understand, hear this: give ear to the sound of my words.
17 Behold thou him who hates lawlessness, and who destroys evil men, who is forever righteousness,
Is it possible that he who hateth justice should govern? or wilt thou condemn the righteous mighty One?
18 him who says to a king, Thou are vile, to ranking men, Ye are wicked,
[Is it fit] to say to a king, Thou art worthless? and to princes, Ye are wicked?
19 who does not respect the persons of rulers, nor regards the rich more than the poor. For they all are the work of his hands.
Whereas he is one that showeth no favor to chieftains, and distinguisheth not the rich before the indigent; for all of them are the work of his hands.
20 In a moment they die, even at midnight. The people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away without hand.
In a moment will they die, and in the midst of the night; people are moved, and pass away: and the mighty will be removed without a human hand.
21 For his eyes are upon the ways of a man, and he sees all his goings.
For big eyes are upon the ways of man, and all his steps doth he see.
22 There is no darkness, nor thick gloom where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the evil-doers can hide themselves.
23 For he needs no further to consider a man, that he should go before God in judgment.
For he need not direct [his attention] a long time upon man, that he should enter into judgment before God.
24 He breaks in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out, and sets others in their stead.
He breaketh down mighty men without [long] searching, and placeth others in their stead.
25 Therefore he takes knowledge of their works, and he overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
For the reason that he knoweth their deeds: therefore he overturneth them in the night, and they are crushed.
26 He strikes them as wicked men in the open sight of others
Among wicked men doth he strike them, in the place where [many] see them:
27 because they turned aside from following him, and would not have regard in any of his ways,
Because they have departed from following him, and have not considered all his ways.
28 so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted.
Bringing before them the cry of the indigent, and the cry of the afflicted which he had to hear.
29 When he gives quietness, who then can condemn? And when he hides his face, who then can behold him? It is the same whether to a nation, or to a man,
When he now granteth rest, who will condemn [him]! and when he hideth his face, who can behold him? whether it be against a nation, or against one man, it is the same:
30 that the profane man not reign, that there be none to ensnare the people.
That no hypocritical man may reign, that such shall not be a mare to the people.
31 For has any said to God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more.
For truly it is only fitting to say unto God, “I bear [cheerfully], I will not do any wrong;
32 Teach thou me that which I do not see. If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?
What I cannot see myself, do thou truly teach me; if I have done what is unjust, I will do so no more.”
33 Shall his recompense be as thou desire, that thou refuse it? For thou must choose, and not I. Therefore speak what thou know.
Should he then according to thy view send a recompense, because thou hast rejected him? “Because thou must choose, and not I?” and what thou knowest, do speak.
34 Men of understanding will say to me, yes, every wise man who hears me,
Men of sense will say unto me, and every wise man who heareth me,
35 Job speaks without knowledge, and his words are without wisdom.
That Job hath not spoken with knowledge, and that his words are without intelligence.
36 But surely not. Learn thou Job not to still give an answer like the foolish,
Oh that Job may therefore be probed continually, in order to give answers against sinful men.
37 so that we may not add to our sins, and lawlessness will be reckoned against us, speaking many words before the Lord.
For he addeth unto his sin transgression: among us he uttereth too many loud words, and multiplieth his speeches against God.
