Job 34
1 Then Elihu continued:
And Elihu answers and says:
2 “Hear my words, O wise men; give ear to me, O men of learning.
“Hear, O wise men, my words, And, O knowing ones, give ear to me.
3 For the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food.
For the ear tries words, And the palate tastes to eat.
4 Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.
Let us choose judgment for ourselves, Let us know among ourselves what [is] good.
5 For Job has declared, ‘I am righteous, yet God has deprived me of justice.
For Job has said, I have been righteous, And God has turned aside my right,
6 Would I lie about my case? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
Against my right do I lie? My arrow [is] mortal—without transgression.
7 What man is like Job, who drinks up derision like water?
Who [is] a man like Job? He drinks scoffing like water,
8 He keeps company with evildoers and walks with wicked men.
And he has traveled for company With workers of iniquity, So as to go with men of wickedness.
9 For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight in God.’
For he has said, It does not profit a man When he delights himself with God.
10 Therefore listen to me, O men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wrong, and from the Almighty to act unjustly.
Therefore, O men of heart, listen to me; Far be it from God to do wickedness, And [from] the Mighty to do perverseness,
11 For according to a man’s deeds He repays him; according to a man’s ways He brings consequences.
For He repays the work of man to him, And according to the path of each He causes him to find.
12 Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
Indeed, truly, God does not do wickedly, And the Mighty does not pervert judgment.
13 Who gave Him charge over the earth? Who appointed Him over the whole world?
Who has inspected for Himself the earth? And who has placed all the habitable world?
14 If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,
If He sets His heart on him, [If] He gathers His Spirit and His breath to Himself,
15 all flesh would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.
All flesh expires together, And man returns to dust.
16 If you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words.
And if [there is] understanding, hear this, Give ear to the voice of my words.
17 Could one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One,
Indeed, does one hating justice govern? Or do you condemn the Most Just?
18 who says to kings, ‘You are worthless!’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’
Who has said to a king, Worthless, To princes, Wicked?
19 who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands.
That has not accepted the person of princes, Nor has known the rich before the poor, For all of them [are] a work of His hands.
20 They die in an instant, in the middle of the night. The people convulse and pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.
[In] a moment they die, And at midnight people shake, And they pass away, And they remove the mighty without hand.
21 For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees his every step.
For His eyes [are] on the ways of each, And He sees all his steps.
22 There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity can hide.
There is no darkness nor death-shade, For workers of iniquity to be hidden there;
23 For God need not examine a man further or have him approach for judgment.
For He does not permit man anymore, To go to God in judgment,
24 He shatters the mighty without inquiry and sets up others in their place.
He breaks the mighty—no searching! And He appoints others in their stead.
25 Therefore, He recognizes their deeds; He overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.
Therefore He knows their works, And He has overturned by night, And they are bruised.
26 He strikes them for their wickedness in full view,
As wicked He has struck them, In the place of beholders.
27 because they turned aside from Him and had no regard for any of His ways.
Because that against right They have turned aside from after Him, And have considered none of His ways,
28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him, and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.
To cause to come to Him The cry of the poor, And He hears the cry of the afflicted.
29 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,
And He gives rest, and who makes wrong? And hides the face, and who beholds it? And in reference to a nation and to a man, [It is] the same.
30 that godless men should not rule or lay snares for the people.
From the reigning of a profane man, From the snares of a people;
31 Suppose someone says to God, ‘I have endured my punishment; I will offend no more.
For has any said to God: I have taken away, I do not do corruptly,
32 Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’
Besides [that which] I see, You show me, If I have done iniquity—I do not add?
33 Should God repay you on your own terms when you have disavowed His? You must choose, not I; so tell me what you know.
Does He repay by you, that you have refused—That you choose, and not I? And what you have known, speak.
34 Men of understanding will declare to me, and the wise men who hear me will say:
Let men of heart say to me, And a wise man is listening to me:
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’
Job—he does not speak with knowledge, And his words [are] not with wisdom.
36 If only Job were tried to the utmost for answering like a wicked man.
My Father! Let Job be tried—to victory, Because of answers for men of iniquity,
37 For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.”
For he adds to his sin, He vomits transgression among us, And multiplies his sayings to God.”
