Job 34
1 Furthermore Elihu answered and said,
Moreover, Elihu continued to speak:
2 Hear my words, O 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 mouth tasteth meat.
For the ear tries words as the palate tastes food.
4 Let us choose to us judgment: 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, [who] drinketh up scorning like water?
What man is like Job, who drinks up mockery like water,
8 Which goeth in company with the 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 a man nothing that he should delight himself with 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 it from God, [that he should do] wickedness; and [from] the Almighty, [that he should commit] iniquity.
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 the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to [his] ways.
For he pays back a person's work; he makes every man come upon the reward of his own ways.
12 Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.
Indeed, God does nothing wicked, nor does the Almighty ever pervert justice.
13 Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?
Who put him in charge over the earth? Who put the whole world under him?
14 If he set his heart upon man, [if] he gather unto himself 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 turn again unto dust.
then all flesh would perish together; mankind would return to dust again.
16 If now [thou hast] understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words.
If now you have understanding, listen to this; listen to the sound of my words.
17 Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?
Can one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn God, who is righteous and mighty?
18 [Is it fit] to say to a king, [Thou art] wicked? [and] to princes, [Ye are] ungodly?
God, who says to a king, 'You are vile,' or says to nobles, 'You are wicked'?
19 [How much less to him] that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all [are] 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 shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be 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 goings.
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 will not lay upon man more [than right; ] that he should enter into judgment 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 break in pieces mighty men without number, and set 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 Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth [them] in the night, so that they are 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 open sight of others;
In the open sight of others, he kills them for their wicked deeds like criminals
27 Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any 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 can make trouble? and when he hideth [his] face, who then can behold him? whether [it be done] against a nation, or against a man only:
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 hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.
so that a godless man may not rule, so that there may be no one to entrap people.
31 Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne [chastisement], I will not offend [any more: ]
Suppose someone says to God, 'I am certainly guilty, but I will not sin any longer;
32 [That which] I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.
teach me what I cannot see; I have committed sin, but I will do it no longer.'
33 [Should it be] according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I: therefore speak 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 understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto 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] without wisdom.
'Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without wisdom.'
36 My desire [is that] Job may be tried unto the end because of [his] answers 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 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.”
