Job 34

1 And Elihu answers and says:

Furthermore Elihu answered and said,

2 “Hear, O wise men, my words, And, O knowing ones, give ear to me.

Hear my words, O you wise men; and give ear to me, you that have knowledge.

3 For the ear tries words, And the palate tastes to eat.

For the ear tries words, as the mouth tastes meat.

4 Let us choose judgment for ourselves, Let us know among ourselves what [is] good.

Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.

5 For Job has said, I have been righteous, And God has turned aside my right,

For Job has said, I am righteous: and God has taken away my judgment.

6 Against my right do I lie? My arrow [is] mortal—without transgression.

Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable without transgression.

7 Who [is] a man like Job? He drinks scoffing like water,

What man is like Job, who drinks up scorning like water?

8 And he has traveled for company With workers of iniquity, So as to go with men of wickedness.

Which goes in company with the workers of iniquity, and walks with wicked men.

9 For he has said, It does not profit a man When he delights himself with God.

For he has said, It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.

10 Therefore, O men of heart, listen to me; Far be it from God to do wickedness, And [from] the Mighty to do perverseness,

Therefore listen to me you men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.

11 For He repays the work of man to him, And according to the path of each He causes him to find.

For the work of a man shall he render to him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.

12 Indeed, truly, God does not do wickedly, And the Mighty does not pervert judgment.

Yes, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.

13 Who has inspected for Himself the earth? And who has placed all the habitable world?

Who has given him a charge over the earth? or who has disposed the whole world?

14 If He sets His heart on him, [If] He gathers His Spirit and His breath to Himself,

If he set his heart on man, if he gather to himself his spirit and his breath;

15 All flesh expires together, And man returns to dust.

All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again to dust.

16 And if [there is] understanding, hear this, Give ear to the voice of my words.

If now you have understanding, hear this: listen to the voice of my words.

17 Indeed, does one hating justice govern? Or do you condemn the Most Just?

Shall even he that hates right govern? and will you condemn him that is most just?

18 Who has said to a king, Worthless, To princes, Wicked?

Is it fit to say to a king, You are wicked? and to princes, You are ungodly?

19 That has not accepted the person of princes, Nor has known the rich before the poor, For all of them [are] a work of His hands.

How much less to him that accepts not the persons of princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.

20 [In] a moment they die, And at midnight people shake, And they pass away, And they remove the mighty without hand.

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.

21 For His eyes [are] on the ways of each, And He sees all his steps.

For his eyes are on the ways of man, and he sees all his goings.

22 There is no darkness nor death-shade, For workers of iniquity to be hidden there;

There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

23 For He does not permit man anymore, To go to God in judgment,

For he will not lay on man more than right; that he should enter into judgment with God.

24 He breaks the mighty—no searching! And He appoints others in their stead.

He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.

25 Therefore He knows their works, And He has overturned by night, And they are bruised.

Therefore he knows their works, and he overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

26 As wicked He has struck them, In the place of beholders.

He strikes them as wicked men in the open sight of others;

27 Because that against right They have turned aside from after Him, And have considered none of His ways,

Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways:

28 To cause to come to Him The cry of the poor, And He hears the cry of the afflicted.

So that they cause the cry of the poor to come to him, and he hears the cry of the afflicted.

29 And He gives rest, and who makes wrong? And hides the face, and who beholds it? And in reference to a nation and to a man, [It is] the same.

When he gives quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hides his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:

30 From the reigning of a profane man, From the snares of a people;

That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.

31 For has any said to God: I have taken away, I do not do corruptly,

Surely it is meet to be said to God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:

32 Besides [that which] I see, You show me, If I have done iniquity—I do not add?

That which I see not teach you me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.

33 Does He repay by you, that you have refused—That you choose, and not I? And what you have known, speak.

Should it be according to your mind? he will recompense it, whether you refuse, or whether you choose; and not I: therefore speak what you know.

34 Let men of heart say to me, And a wise man is listening to me:

Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man listen to me.

35 Job—he does not speak with knowledge, And his words [are] not with wisdom.

Job has spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom.

36 My Father! Let Job be tried—to victory, Because of answers for men of iniquity,

My desire is that Job may be tried to the end because of his answers for wicked men.

37 For he adds to his sin, He vomits transgression among us, And multiplies his sayings to God.”

For he adds rebellion to his sin, he claps his hands among us, and multiplies his words against God.