Job 34
1 After proclaiming these things, Eliu now had this to say:
Furthermore Elihu responded, and said: —
2 May the wise hear my words, and may the educated listen to me.
Hear, ye wise men, my words, and, ye who know, give ear unto me;
3 For the ear examines words, and the mouth discerns foods by the taste.
For, the ear, trieth words, as, the palate, tasteth in eating.
4 Let us choose judgment for ourselves, and let us consider among ourselves what is best.
What is right, let us choose for ourselves, Let us know, among ourselves, what is good;
5 For Job has said: “I am just, yet God has subverted my judgment.
For Job hath said—I am righteous, But, GOD, hath turned away my right;
6 For, within my judgment, there is a lie: my vehement barbs are without any sin.”
Concerning mine own right, shall I tell a falsehood? Incurable is my disease—not for any transgression.
7 What man is there that is like Job, who drinks up derision as if it were water,
What man is like Job? He drinketh in scoffing like water;
8 who accompanies those who work iniquity, and who walks with impious men?
And is on the way to keep company, with the workers of iniquity, and to walk with lawless men.
9 For he has said, “Man will not please God, even if he should travel with him.”
For he hath said, It profiteth not a man, when, his good pleasure, is with God.
10 Therefore, prudent men, hear me: impiety is far from God, and iniquity is far from the Almighty.
Wherefore, ye men of mind, hearken unto me, —Far be it, that, GOD, should be lawless, or, the Almighty, be perverse!
11 For he will restore to man his works, and according to the ways of each, he will repay them.
For, what any son of earth doeth, he repayeth him, and, according to every man’s course, he causeth him to find.
12 For truly, God will not condemn in vain, nor will the Almighty repudiate judgment.
Nay, verily, GOD, will not condemn unjustly, —nor, the Almighty, pervert justice.
13 What other is established over the earth? Or whom has he placed over the world, which he made?
Who set him in charge of the earth? Or who appointed [him] the whole world?
14 But, if he directs his heart towards him, he will draw his spirit and breath to himself.
If he should set against him his heart, His spirit and his inspiration, unto himself he should withdraw.
15 All flesh will fail together, and man will return to ashes.
All flesh together, would cease to breathe, and, the earth-born, unto dust, would return.
16 Therefore, if you have understanding, hear what is said, and heed the sound of my eloquence.
If then [thou hast] understanding, hear this, Give thou ear to the teaching of my words: —
17 Is he that does not love judgment able to be corrected? And how can you so greatly condemn him who is just?
Shall, the very hater of right, control? Or, the just—the mighty one, wilt thou condemn?
18 He says to the king, “You are an apostate.” He calls commanders impious.
Doth one say to a king, Abandoned one! Or, Lawless one! unto nobles?
19 He does not accept the reputation of leaders; nor does he recognize the tyrant as he contends against the poor. For all are the work of his hands.
For he hath shewn no respect of persons unto princes, neither hath he recognised the rich rather than the poor? For, the work of his hands, are they all.
20 They will die suddenly, and the people will be troubled in the middle of the night, but they will pass through it, and the violent will be taken away without a hand.
In a moment, they die, even in the middle of the night, —A people are convulsed when they pass away, A mighty one is removed, without hand;
21 For his eyes are upon the ways of men, and he examines all of their steps.
For, his eyes, are on the ways of a man, and, all his footsteps, he beholdeth, —
22 There is no darkness and no shadow of death, where those who work iniquity may be hidden.
No darkness, and no death-shade, where the workers of iniquity may hide.
23 For it is no longer within the power of man to enter into judgment with God.
For, unto no man, doth he appoint a repetition, —in going unto GOD in judgment;
24 He will break into many innumerable pieces, and he will cause others to stand up in their place.
He shattereth mighty ones unsearchably, and setteth up others in their stead:
25 For he knows their works, and, as a result, he will bring the night, and they will be crushed.
Therefore, he observeth their works, —and overturneth [them] in a night, and they are crushed;
26 Just as the impious do, he has struck them in a place where they can be seen.
In the place of lawless men, hath he chastised them, in presence of beholders.
27 They, as if with great diligence, have withdrawn from him, and they refused to understand all his ways,
Forasmuch, as they turned from following him, and, none of his ways, did they teach;
28 so that they caused the outcry of the needy to reach him, and he heard the voice of the poor.
Causing to reach him the outcry of the poor, Yea, the outcry of the oppressed, he heareth.
29 For, when he grants peace, who is there that can condemn? When he hides his face, who is there that can contemplate him, either among the nations, or among all men?
When, he, giveth quiet, who then shall condemn? And, when he hideth [his] face, who then shall sing of him? whether unto a nation or unto mankind altogether,
30 He causes a hypocritical man to reign because of the sins of the people.
That impious men may not reign, nor be ensnarers of the people.
31 Therefore, since I have been speaking about God, I will not prevent you from doing the same.
For, unto GOD, hath one [ever] said—I have borne punishment, I will not be perverse;
32 If I have erred, you may teach me; if I have spoken unfairly, I will add no more.
What I see not, do, thou, shew me, If, perverseness, I have wrought, I will do it no more?
33 Does God require this of you because it is displeasing to you? For you were the first to speak, and not I. But if you know something better, speak.
According to thy mind, must he requite it, that thou hast refused? For, thou, must choose, and not, I, What then thou knowest, speak!
34 Let men of understanding speak to me, and let a wise man listen to me.
The men of mind, will say to me, yea any wise man hearkening unto me: —
35 But Job has been speaking foolishly, and his words contain unsound teaching.
Job, without knowledge, doth speak, and, his words, are not with discretion.
36 My father, let Job be tested even to the end; may you not retreat from a man of iniquity.
Would that Job might be tested to the uttermost, for replying with the men of iniquity:
37 For he adds blasphemy on top of his sins; nevertheless, let him be constrained to be among us, and then let him provoke God to judgment with his speeches.
For he addeth—unto his sin—rebellion, In our midst, he clappeth his hands, and multiplieth his sayings against GOD.
