Job 34
1 And Elihu made answer and said,
And Eliu continued his discourse, and said:
2 Give ear, you wise, to my words; and you who have knowledge, give attention to me;
Hear ye, wise men, my words, and ye learned, hearken to me:
3 For words are tested by the ear, as food is tasted by the mouth.
For the ear trieth words, and the mouth discerneth meats by the taste.
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 to us judgment, and let us see among ourselves what is the best.
5 For Job has said, I am upright, and it is God who has taken away my right;
For Job hath said: I am just, and God hath overthrown my judgment.
6 Though I am right, still I am in pain; my wound may not be made well, though I have done no wrong.
For in judging me there is a lie: my arrow is violent without any sin.
7 What man is like Job, a man who freely makes sport of God,
What man is there like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?
8 And goes in the company of evil-doers, walking in the way of sinners?
Who goeth in company with them that work iniquity, and walketh with wicked men?
9 For he has said, It is no profit to a man to take delight in God.
For he hath said: Man shall not please God, although he run with him.
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, ye men of understanding, hear me: far from god be wickedness, and iniquity from the Almighty.
11 For he gives to every man the reward of his work, and sees that he gets the fruit of his ways.
For he will render to a man his work, and according to the ways of every one he will reward them.
12 Truly, God does not do evil, and the Ruler of all is not a false judge.
For in very deed God will not condemn without cause, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.
13 Who put the earth into his care, or made him responsible for the world?
What other hath he appointed over the earth? or whom hath he set over the world which he made?
14 If he made his spirit come back to him, taking his breath into himself again,
If he turn his heart to him, he shall draw his spirit and breath unto himself.
15 All flesh would come to an end together, and man would go back to the dust.
All flesh shall perish together, and man shall return into ashes.
16 If you are wise, take note of this; give ear to the voice of my words.
If then thou hast understanding, hear what is said, and hearken to the voice of my words.
17 How may a hater of right be a ruler? and will you say that the upright Ruler of all is evil?
Can he be healed that loveth not judgment? and how dost thou so far condemn him that is just?
18 He who says to a king, You are an evil-doer; and to rulers, You are sinners;
Who saith to the king: Thou art an apostate: who calleth rulers ungodly?
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 accepteth not the persons of princes: nor hath regarded the tyrant, when he contended against the poor man: for all are 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 shall suddenly die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and they shall pass, and take away the violent without hand.
21 For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.
For his eyes are upon the ways of men, and he considereth all their steps.
22 There is no dark place, and no thick cloud, in which the workers of evil may take cover.
There is no darkness, and there is no shadow of death, where they may be hid who work iniquity.
23 For he does not give man a fixed time to come before him to be judged.
For it is no longer in the power of man to enter into judgment with God.
24 He sends the strong to destruction without searching out their cause, and puts others in their place.
He shall break in pieces many and innumerable, and shall make others to stand in their stead.
25 For he has knowledge of their works, overturning them in the night, so that they are crushed.
For he knoweth their works: and therefore he shall bring night on them, and they shall be destroyed.
26 The evil-doers are broken by his wrath, he puts his hand on them with force before the eyes of all onlookers.
He hath struck them, as being wicked, in open sight.
27 Because they did not go after him, and took no note of his ways,
Who as it were on purpose have revolted from him, and would not understand all 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.
So that they caused the cry of the needy to come to him, and he heard the voice of the poor.
For when he granteth peace, who is there that can condemn? When he hideth his countenance, who is there that can behold him, whether it regard nations, or all men?
Who maketh a man that is a hypocrite to reign for the sins of the people?
Seeing then I have spoken of God, I will not hinder thee in thy turn.
If I have erred, teach thou me: if I have spoken iniquity, I will add no more.
Doth God require it of thee, because it hath displeased thee? for thou begannest to speak, and not I: but if thou know any thing better, speak.
34 Men of knowledge, and all wise men, hearing me, will say,
Let men of understanding speak to me, and let a wise man hearken to me.
35 Job's words do not come from knowledge; they are not the fruit of wisdom.
But Job hath spoken foolishly, and his words sound not discipline.
36 May Job be tested to the end, because his answers have been like those of evil men.
My father, let Job be tried even to the end: cease not from the man of iniquity.
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.
Because he addeth blasphemy upon his sins, let him be tied fast in the mean time amongst us: and then let him provoke God to judgment with his speeches.
