Job 34
1 And Elihu answers and says:
Moreover Elihu answered,
2 “Hear, O wise men, my words, And, O knowing ones, give ear to me.
“Hear my words, you wise men. Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.
3 For the ear tries words, And the palate tastes to eat.
For the ear tries words, as the palate tastes food.
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 amongst 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, God has taken away my right.
6 Against my right do I lie? My arrow [is] mortal—without transgression.
Notwithstanding my right I am considered a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.’
7 Who [is] a man like Job? He drinks scoffing like water,
What man is like Job, who drinks scorn like water,
8 And he has traveled for company With workers of iniquity, So as to go with men of wickedness.
who 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, 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 he will 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 justice.
13 Who has inspected for Himself the earth? And who has placed all the habitable world?
Who put him in charge of the earth? Or who has appointed him over 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 himself, if he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath,
15 All flesh expires together, And man returns to dust.
all flesh would perish together, and man would 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?
Should even one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18 Who has said to a king, Worthless, To princes, Wicked?
who says to a king, ‘Vile!’ or to nobles, ‘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.
He doesn’t respect the persons of princes, nor respect 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. The mighty are taken away without a 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 a man. 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 thick gloom, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 For He does not permit man anymore, To go to God in judgment,
For he doesn’t need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgement.
24 He breaks the mighty—no searching! And He appoints others in their stead.
He breaks mighty men in pieces in ways past finding out, and sets others in their place.
25 Therefore He knows their works, And He has overturned by night, And they are bruised.
Therefore he takes knowledge of their works. 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 away from following him, and wouldn’t pay attention 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 to him. 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 gives quietness, who then can condemn? When he hides his face, who then can see him? He is over a nation or a man alike,
30 From the reigning of a profane man, From the snares of a people;
that the godless man may not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people.
31 For has any said to God: I have taken away, I do not do corruptly,
“For has any said to God, ‘I am guilty, but I will not offend any more.
32 Besides [that which] I see, You show me, If I have done iniquity—I do not add?
Teach me that which I don’t see. 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 recompense be as you desire, that you refuse it? For you must 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:
Men of understanding will tell me, yes, every wise man who hears me:
35 Job—he does not speak with knowledge, And his words [are] not with wisdom.
‘Job speaks without knowledge. His words are without wisdom.’
36 My Father! Let Job be tried—to victory, Because of answers for men of iniquity,
I wish that Job were tried to 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 adds rebellion to his sin. He claps his hands amongst us, and multiplies his words against God.”
