Job 34
1 Moreover Elihu answered and said,
Moreover, Elihu continued to speak:
2 Hear my words, ye wise [men]; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
“Listen to my words, you wise men; hear me, you who have knowledge.
3 For the ear trieth words, as the palate tasteth food.
For the ear tries words as the palate tastes food.
4 Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us know among ourselves what is good!
Let us choose for ourselves what is just: let us discover among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job hath said, I am righteous, and God hath taken away my judgment:
For Job has said, 'I am righteous, but God has taken away my rights.
6 Should I lie against my right? My wound is incurable without transgression.
Regardless of my rights, I am considered to be a liar. My wound is incurable, although I am without sin.'
7 What man is like Job? he drinketh up scorning like water,
What man is like Job, who drinks up mockery like water,
8 And goeth in company with workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.
who goes around in the company of those who do evil, and who walks with wicked men?
9 For he hath said, It profiteth not a man if he delight himself in God.
For he has said, 'It is no use to a person to take pleasure in doing what God wants.'
10 Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: Far be wickedness from God, and wrong from the Almighty!
So listen to me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness; far be it from the Almighty that he should commit sin.
11 For a man's work will he render to him, and cause every one to find according to [his] way.
For he pays back a person's work; he makes every man come upon the reward of his own ways.
12 Yea, surely, God acteth not wickedly, and the Almighty perverteth not judgment.
Indeed, God does nothing wicked, nor does the Almighty ever pervert justice.
13 Who hath entrusted to him the earth? and who hath disposed the whole world?
Who put him in charge over the earth? Who put the whole world under him?
14 If he only thought of himself, [and] gathered unto him his spirit and his breath,
If he ever set his intentions only on himself, and if he ever gathered back to himself his spirit and his breath,
15 All flesh would expire together, and man would return to the dust.
then all flesh would perish together; mankind would return to dust again.
16 If now [thou hast] understanding, hear this: give ear to the voice of my words!
If now you have understanding, listen to this; listen to the sound of my words.
17 Should he that hateth right indeed govern? and wilt thou condemn the All-just?
Can one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn God, who is righteous and mighty?
18 Shall one say to a king, Belial? to nobles, Wicked?
God, who says to a king, 'You are vile,' or says to nobles, 'You are wicked'?
19 [How then to him] that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich man more than the poor? for they are all the work of his hands.
God, who does not show favoritism to leaders and does not acknowledge rich people more than poor, for they all are the work of his hands.
20 In a moment they die, even at midnight the people are convulsed and pass away; and the strong are taken away without hand.
In a moment they will die; at midnight people will be shaken and will pass away; mighty people will be taken away, but not by human hands.
21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his steps.
For God's eyes are upon a person's ways; he sees all his steps.
22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
There is no darkness, no thick gloom where the doers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 For he doth not long consider a man, to bring him before God in judgment.
For God does not need to examine a person further; there is no need for any person to go before him in judgment.
24 He breaketh in pieces mighty men without inquiry, and setteth others in their stead;
He breaks mighty men into pieces for their ways that need no further investigation; he puts others in their places.
25 Since he knoweth their actions; and he overthroweth [them] in the night, and they are crushed.
In this way he has knowledge of their deeds; he overthrows these people in the night; they are destroyed.
26 He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others,
In the open sight of others, he kills them for their wicked deeds like criminals
27 Because they have turned back from him, and would consider none of his ways;
because they turned away from following him and refused to acknowledge any of his ways.
28 So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.
In this way, they made the cry of poor people come to him; he heard the cry of afflicted people.
29 When he giveth quietness, who then will disturb? and when he hideth [his] face, who shall behold him? and this towards a nation, or towards a man alike;
When he stays silent, who can condemn him? If he hides his face, who can perceive him? He rules over nation and individual alike,
30 That the ungodly man reign not, that the people be not ensnared.
so that a godless man may not rule, so that there may be no one to entrap people.
31 For hath he said unto God, I bear [chastisement], I will not offend;
Suppose someone says to God, 'I am certainly guilty, but I will not sin any longer;
32 What I see not, teach thou me; if I have done wrong, I will do so no more?
teach me what I cannot see; I have committed sin, but I will do it no longer.'
33 Shall he recompense according to thy mind? for thou hast refused [his judgment]; for thou so choosest, and not I; speak then what thou knowest.
Do you think that God will punish that person's sin, since you dislike what God does? You must choose, not I. So say what it is that you know.
34 Men of understanding will say to me, and a wise man who heareth me:
Men of understanding will say to me— indeed, every wise man who hears me will say,
35 Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were not with intelligence.
'Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without wisdom.'
36 Would that Job may be tried unto the end, because of [his] answers after the manner of evil men!
If only Job were put on trial in the smallest details of his case because of his talking like wicked men.
37 For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth [his hands] among us, and multiplieth his words against God.
For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands in mockery in our midst; he piles up words against God.”
