Job 34
1 And Elihu made answer and said,
Then Elihu continued:
2 Give ear, you wise, to my words; and you who have knowledge, give attention to me;
“Hear my words, O wise men; give ear to me, O men of learning.
3 For words are tested by the ear, as food is tasted by the mouth.
For the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food.
4 Let us make the decision for ourselves as to what is right; let us have the knowledge among ourselves of what is good.
Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.
5 For Job has said, I am upright, and it is God who has taken away my right;
For Job has declared, ‘I am righteous, yet God has deprived me of justice.
6 Though I am right, still I am in pain; my wound may not be made well, though I have done no wrong.
Would I lie about my case? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
7 What man is like Job, a man who freely makes sport of God,
What man is like Job, who drinks up derision like water?
8 And goes in the company of evil-doers, walking in the way of sinners?
He keeps company with evildoers and walks with wicked men.
9 For he has said, It is no profit to a man to take delight in God.
For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight in God.’
10 Now then, you wise, take note; you men of knowledge, give ear to me. Let it be far from God to do evil, and from the Ruler of all to do wrong.
Therefore listen to me, O men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wrong, and from the Almighty to act unjustly.
11 For he gives to every man the reward of his work, and sees that he gets the fruit of his ways.
For according to a man’s deeds He repays him; according to a man’s ways He brings consequences.
12 Truly, God does not do evil, and the Ruler of all is not a false judge.
Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
13 Who put the earth into his care, or made him responsible for the world?
Who gave Him charge over the earth? Who appointed Him over the whole world?
14 If he made his spirit come back to him, taking his breath into himself again,
If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,
15 All flesh would come to an end together, and man would go back to the dust.
all flesh would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.
16 If you are wise, take note of this; give ear to the voice of my words.
If you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words.
17 How may a hater of right be a ruler? and will you say that the upright Ruler of all is evil?
Could one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One,
18 He who says to a king, You are an evil-doer; and to rulers, You are sinners;
who says to kings, ‘You are worthless!’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’
19 Who has no respect for rulers, and who gives no more attention to those who have wealth than to the poor, for they are all the work of his hands.
who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands.
20 Suddenly they come to an end, even in the middle of the night: the blow comes on the men of wealth, and they are gone, and the strong are taken away without the hand of man.
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 For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.
For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees his every step.
22 There is no dark place, and no thick cloud, in which the workers of evil may take cover.
There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity can hide.
23 For he does not give man a fixed time to come before him to be judged.
For God need not examine a man further or have him approach for judgment.
24 He sends the strong to destruction without searching out their cause, and puts others in their place.
He shatters the mighty without inquiry and sets up others in their place.
25 For he has knowledge of their works, overturning them in the night, so that they are crushed.
Therefore, He recognizes their deeds; He overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.
26 The evil-doers are broken by his wrath, he puts his hand on them with force before the eyes of all onlookers.
He strikes them for their wickedness in full view,
27 Because they did not go after him, and took no note of his ways,
because they turned aside from Him and had no regard for any of His ways.
28 So that the cry of the poor might come up to him, and the prayer of those in need come to his ears.
They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him, and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.
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,
that godless men should not rule or lay snares for the people.
Suppose someone says to God, ‘I have endured my punishment; I will offend no more.
Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’
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 Men of knowledge, and all wise men, hearing me, will say,
Men of understanding will declare to me, and the wise men who hear me will say:
35 Job's words do not come from knowledge; they are not the fruit of wisdom.
‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’
36 May Job be tested to the end, because his answers have been like those of evil men.
If only Job were tried to the utmost for answering like a wicked man.
37 For in addition to his sin, he is uncontrolled in heart; before our eyes he makes sport of God, increasing his words against him.
For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.”
