Job 34
1 After proclaiming these things, Eliu now had this to say:
Then Elihu continued:
2 May the wise hear my words, and may the educated listen to me.
“You [three] men who [think that you] [SAR] are very wise, hear me; listen to what I am saying, you men who [say that you] know so much.
3 For the ear examines words, and the mouth discerns foods by the taste.
When we [SYN] hear what other people [like you] say, we [RHQ] think carefully about what they say [to determine what is good and what is bad], like we [SYN] taste food [to determine what is good].
4 Let us choose judgment for ourselves, and let us consider among ourselves what is best.
We need to decide [who is saying] what is right and to determine among ourselves what is good/best.
5 For Job has said: “I am just, yet God has subverted my judgment.
Job has said, ‘I am innocent, but God has refused to judge me fairly/justly.
6 For, within my judgment, there is a lie: my vehement barbs are without any sin.”
Even though I have always done what is right, he is lying about me. Even though I have not done what is wrong, he has caused me to suffer, and I will certainly die.’
7 What man is there that is like Job, who drinks up derision as if it were water,
(Is there any person like Job, who insults others as easily as people accept a drink of water?/There is no person like Job, who insults others as easily as people accept a drink of water.) [RHQ]
8 who accompanies those who work iniquity, and who walks with impious men?
He habitually associates with people who do what is evil and spends time with wicked people.
9 For he has said, “Man will not please God, even if he should travel with him.”
He has said, ‘It is useless for people to try to please God.’
10 Therefore, prudent men, hear me: impiety is far from God, and iniquity is far from the Almighty.
“So, you men who [claim that you] understand everything, listen to me! Almighty God would never consider doing anything that is wicked or wrong [DOU]!
11 For he will restore to man his works, and according to the ways of each, he will repay them.
He (pays back/punishes) people for what they have done; he gives them what they deserve for the way that they have conducted their lives.
12 For truly, God will not condemn in vain, nor will the Almighty repudiate judgment.
Truly, Almighty God never does what is wicked; he always [LIT] does what is fair/just.
13 What other is established over the earth? Or whom has he placed over the world, which he made?
The authority that he has to rule everything on the earth, no one [RHQ] gave it to him; no one [RHQ] put him in control of the whole world. [He has always had that authority].
14 But, if he directs his heart towards him, he will draw his spirit and breath to himself.
If he would take his spirit back to himself,
15 All flesh will fail together, and man will return to ashes.
everyone would die [immediately], and their corpses would soon become dirt again.
16 Therefore, if you have understanding, hear what is said, and heed the sound of my eloquence.
“So, [Job], if [you say that you] understand everything, listen to what I am saying.
17 Is he that does not love judgment able to be corrected? And how can you so greatly condemn him who is just?
God could certainly not [RHQ] govern the world if he hated doing what is fair/just. So, will you condemn God, who is righteous and powerful, [saying that what he has done is wrong]?
18 He says to the king, “You are an apostate.” He calls commanders impious.
He tells [some] kings that they are worthless, and he says to [some] officials that they are wicked.
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.
He does not favor rulers [more than he favors others]; he does not favor rich people more than poor people, because he created all of them.
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.
People [often] die suddenly; he strikes them at midnight and they die; he even gets rid of mighty people without the help of any humans [SYN].
21 For his eyes are upon the ways of men, and he examines all of their steps.
“He sees [MTY] everything that people do; [when we walk, ] he watches every step that we take.
22 There is no darkness and no shadow of death, where those who work iniquity may be hidden.
There is no gloom or darkness [DOU] that is so dark that sinners can hide [from him] in that darkness.
23 For it is no longer within the power of man to enter into judgment with God.
God does not [need to] set a time when we will stand in front of him in order that he may judge us. [He can judge us whenever he wants to].
24 He will break into many innumerable pieces, and he will cause others to stand up in their place.
He destroys mighty people without [needing to] investigate [what they have done], and he appoints others to take their places.
25 For he knows their works, and, as a result, he will bring the night, and they will be crushed.
Because he [already] knows what they have done, he removes them at night and gets rid of them.
26 Just as the impious do, he has struck them in a place where they can be seen.
Where [many] people can see it, he strikes/punishes them because of the wicked things that they have done;
27 They, as if with great diligence, have withdrawn from him, and they refused to understand all his ways,
he strikes them because they turned away from doing what he wanted them to do and did not pay attention to any of his commands.
28 so that they caused the outcry of the needy to reach him, and he heard the voice of the poor.
They [mistreated] the poor people, with the result that those poor people cried out to God [for help], and he heard those afflicted people when they cried out [to him].
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?
But if God decides to do nothing [to punish wicked people], no one can criticize/condemn him. If a godless/wicked man rules a nation, a man who tricks/deceives the people,
30 He causes a hypocritical man to reign because of the sins of the people.
and if [God] hides his face [with the result that he does not see that ruler or punish him], no one will be able to prevent that ruler [from doing those things].
31 Therefore, since I have been speaking about God, I will not prevent you from doing the same.
“Job, have you or anyone else ever said to God, ‘I have been punished [for my sins], and I will not sin any more;
32 If I have erred, you may teach me; if I have spoken unfairly, I will add no more.
so teach/show me what [sins I have committed]; if I have done anything that is evil, I will not do it any 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.
[Job, ] you object to what God has done to you, but do you think that he will do what you want him to do? It is you who must choose [what you say to God], not I; so tell me what you are thinking about this.
34 Let men of understanding speak to me, and let a wise man listen to me.
“People who have good sense, those who are wise and who listen to what I say, will say to me,
35 But Job has been speaking foolishly, and his words contain unsound teaching.
‘Job is speaking ignorantly; what he says is nonsense.’
36 My father, let Job be tested even to the end; may you not retreat from a man of iniquity.
I think that Job should be taken to a court and (put on trial/judged), because he answers [us his friends] like wicked men would answer.
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.
To add to the [other] sins that he has committed, he is rebelling [against God]; he shows us that he does not respect God [IDM], making long speeches [saying that God has punished him unjustly].”
