Job 34

1 And Elihu answers and says:

Moreover Elihu answered and said,

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

Hear my words, ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.

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

For the ear trieth words, as the palate tasteth meat.

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

Let us choose for us that which is right: 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 hath said, I am righteous, and God hath taken away my right:

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

Notwithstanding my right I am [accounted] a liar; my wound is incurable, [though I am] without transgression.

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

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

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

Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.

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

For he hath said, it profiteth 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 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.

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 unto 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.

Yea, of a surety, 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 gave him a charge over the earth? or who hath 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 upon man, [if] he gather unto 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 unto dust.

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

If now [thou hast] understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words.

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

Shall even one that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is just [and] mighty?

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

Is it [fit] to say to a king, [Thou art] vile? [or] to nobles, [Ye are] wicked?

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 respecteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth 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 they die, even at midnight; the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away without hand.

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

For his eyes are upon the ways of a man, and he seeth 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 needeth not further to consider a man, that he should go before God in judgment.

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

He breaketh in pieces mighty men [in ways] past finding out, and setteth others in their stead.

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

Therefore he taketh knowledge of their works; and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

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

He striketh 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 aside from following him, and would not have regard to 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 caused the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heard 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 giveth quietness, who then can condemn? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether [it be done] unto a nation, or unto a man, alike:

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

That the godless man reign not, that there be none to ensnare the people.

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

For hath any said unto 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 thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?

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

Shall his recompence be as thou wilt, that thou refusest it? for thou must choose, and not I: therefore speak what thou knowest.

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

Men of understanding will say unto me, yea, every wise man that heareth me:

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

Job speaketh without knowledge, and his words are without wisdom.

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

Would that Job were tried unto the end, because of his answering like wicked men.

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

For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.