Job 34
1 Moreouer Elihu answered, and saide,
Moreover, Elihu continued to speak:
2 Heare my wordes, ye wise men, and hearken vnto me, ye that haue knowledge.
“Listen to my words, you wise men; hear me, you who have knowledge.
3 For the eare tryeth the words, as the mouth tasteth meate.
For the ear tries words as the palate tastes food.
4 Let vs seeke iudgement among vs, and let vs knowe among our selues what is good.
Let us choose for ourselves what is just: let us discover among ourselves what is good.
5 For Iob hath saide, I am righteous, and God hath taken away my iudgement.
For Job has said, 'I am righteous, but God has taken away my rights.
6 Should I lye in my right? my wound of the arrowe is grieuous without my sinne.
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 Iob, that drinketh scornfulnesse like water?
What man is like Job, who drinks up mockery like water,
8 Which goeth in the companie of them that worke iniquitie, 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 saide, It profiteth a man nothing that he should walke with God.
For he has said, 'It is no use to a person to take pleasure in doing what God wants.'
10 Therefore hearken vnto me, ye men of wisedome, God forbid that wickednesse should be in God, and iniquitie in the Almightie.
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 he will render vnto man according to his worke, and cause euery one to finde 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 And certainely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almightie peruert iudgement.
Indeed, God does nothing wicked, nor does the Almighty ever pervert justice.
13 Whome hath he appointed ouer the earth beside him selfe? or who hath placed the whole worlde?
Who put him in charge over the earth? Who put the whole world under him?
14 If he set his heart vpon man, and gather vnto him selfe 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 shall perish together, and man shall returne vnto dust.
then all flesh would perish together; mankind would return to dust again.
16 And if thou hast vnderstanding, heare this and hearken to the voyce of my wordes.
If now you have understanding, listen to this; listen to the sound of my words.
17 Shal he that hateth iudgement, gouerne? and wilt thou iudge him wicked that is most iust?
Can one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn God, who is righteous and mighty?
18 Wilt thou say vnto a King, Thou art wicked? or to princes, Ye are vngodly?
God, who says to a king, 'You are vile,' or says to nobles, 'You are wicked'?
19 How much lesse to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, and regardeth not the rich, more then the poore? for they be all the worke of his handes.
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 They shall die suddenly, and the people shalbe troubled at midnight, and they shall passe foorth and take away the mightie 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 vpon the wayes of man, and he seeth all his goings.
For God's eyes are upon a person's ways; he sees all his steps.
22 There is no darkenesse nor shadowe of death, that the workers of iniquitie might be hid therein.
There is no darkness, no thick gloom where the doers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 For he will not lay on man so much, that he should enter into iudgement with God.
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 shall breake the mightie without seeking, and shall set vp other in their stead.
He breaks mighty men into pieces for their ways that need no further investigation; he puts others in their places.
25 Therefore shall he declare their works: he shall turne the night, and they shalbe destroyed.
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 places of the seers,
In the open sight of others, he kills them for their wicked deeds like criminals
27 Because they haue turned backe from him, and would not consider all his wayes:
because they turned away from following him and refused to acknowledge any of his ways.
28 So that they haue caused the voyce of the poore to come vnto him, and he hath heard 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 And when he giueth quietnesse, who can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who can beholde him, whether it be vpon nations, or vpon a man onely?
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 Because the hypocrite doeth reigne, and because the people are snared.
so that a godless man may not rule, so that there may be no one to entrap people.
31 Surely it appertaineth vnto God to say, I haue pardoned, I will not destroy.
Suppose someone says to God, 'I am certainly guilty, but I will not sin any longer;
32 But if I see not, teach thou me: if I haue done wickedly, I will doe no more.
teach me what I cannot see; I have committed sin, but I will do it no longer.'
33 Wil he performe the thing through thee? for thou hast reproued it, because that thou hast chosen, and not I. now speake 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 Let men of vnderstanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken vnto me.
Men of understanding will say to me— indeed, every wise man who hears me will say,
35 Iob hath not spoken of knowledge, neyther were his wordes according to wisedome.
'Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without wisdom.'
36 I desire that Iob may be tryed, vnto the ende touching the answeres for wicked 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 vnto his sinne: he clappeth his handes among vs, and multiplieth his wordes against God.
For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands in mockery in our midst; he piles up words against God.”
