Job 34
1 Then Elihu continued:
And Elihu answereth and saith:
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 doth try words, And the palate tasteth to eat.
4 Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.
Judgment let us choose 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 hath said, 'I have been righteous, And God hath 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? Mortal [is] mine arrow — without transgression.'
7 What man is like Job, who drinks up derision like water?
Who [is] a man like Job? He drinketh scoffing like water,
8 He keeps company with evildoers and walks with wicked men.
And he hath travelled 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 hath said, 'It doth not profit a man, When he delighteth 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, hearken 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 the work of man he repayeth to him, And according to the path of each He doth cause him to find.
12 Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
Yea, truly, God doth not do wickedly, And the Mighty doth not pervert judgment.
13 Who gave Him charge over the earth? Who appointed Him over the whole world?
Who hath inspected for Himself the earth? And who hath placed all the habitable world?
14 If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,
If He doth set on him His heart, His spirit and his breath unto Him He gathereth.
15 all flesh would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.
Expire doth all flesh together, And man to dust returneth.
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,
Yea, doth one hating justice govern? Or the Most Just dost thou condemn?
18 who says to kings, ‘You are worthless!’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’
Who hath said to a king — 'Worthless,' Unto 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 hath not accepted the person of princes, Nor hath known the rich before the poor, For a work of His hands [are] all of them.
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 Shake do people, 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 all his steps He doth see.
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 doth not suffer man any more, To go unto God in judgment,
24 He shatters the mighty without inquiry and sets up others in their place.
He breaketh the mighty — no searching! And He appointeth others in their stead.
25 Therefore, He recognizes their deeds; He overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.
Therefore He knoweth their works, And He hath overturned by night, And they are bruised.
26 He strikes them for their wickedness in full view,
As wicked He hath stricken 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 none of His ways have considered wisely,
28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him, and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.
To cause to come in unto Him The cry of the poor, And the cry of the afflicted He heareth.
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 giveth rest, and who maketh wrong? And hideth the face, and who beholdeth 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 unto God hath any said: 'I have taken away, I do not corruptly,
32 Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’
Besides [that which] I see, shew Thou me, If iniquity I have done — 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.
By thee doth He recompense, That thou hast refused — That thou dost choose, and not I? And what thou hast 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 hearkening to me.
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’
Job — not with knowledge doth he speak, 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 — unto 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 doth add to his sin, Transgression among us he vomiteth, And multiplieth his sayings to God.
