Job 34
1 Moreover Elihu answered,
And Elihu made answer and said,
2 "Hear my words, you sages. Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.
Give ear, you wise, to my words; and you who have knowledge, give attention to me;
3 For the ear tries words, as the palate tastes food.
For words are tested by the ear, as food is tasted by the mouth.
4 Let us choose for us that which is right. Let us know among ourselves what is good.
Let us make the decision for ourselves as to what is right; let us have the knowledge among ourselves of what is good.
5 For Job has said, 'I am righteous, God has taken away my right:
For Job has said, I am upright, and it is God who has taken away my right;
6 Notwithstanding my right I am considered a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.'
Though I am right, still I am in pain; my wound may not be made well, though I have done no wrong.
7 What man is like Job, who drinks scorn like water,
What man is like Job, a man who freely makes sport of God,
8 Who goes in company with evildoers, and walks with wicked men?
And goes in the company of evil-doers, walking in the way of sinners?
9 For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.'
For he has said, It is no profit to a man to take delight in God.
10 "Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, from Shaddai, that he should commit iniquity.
Now then, you wise, take note; you men of knowledge, give ear to me. Let it be far from God to do evil, and from the Ruler of all to do wrong.
11 For the work of a man he will render to him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
For he gives to every man the reward of his work, and sees that he gets the fruit of his ways.
12 Yes surely, God will not do wickedly, neither will Shaddai pervert justice.
Truly, God does not do evil, and the Ruler of all is not a false judge.
13 Who put him in charge of the earth? or who has appointed him over the whole world?
Who put the earth into his care, or made him responsible for the world?
14 If he set his heart on himself, If he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath,
If he made his spirit come back to him, taking his breath into himself again,
15 all flesh would perish together, and man would turn again to dust.
All flesh would come to an end together, and man would go back to the dust.
16 "If now you have understanding, hear this. Listen to the voice of my words.
If you are wise, take note of this; give ear to the voice of my words.
17 Shall even one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty?
How may a hater of right be a ruler? and will you say that the upright Ruler of all is evil?
18 Who says to a king, 'Vile.' or to nobles, 'Wicked.'?
He who says to a king, You are an evil-doer; and to rulers, You are sinners;
19 Who doesn't respect the persons of princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor; for they all are the work of his hands.
Who has no respect for rulers, and who gives no more attention to those who have wealth than to the poor, for they are all the work of his hands.
20 In a moment they die, even at midnight. The people are shaken and pass away. The mighty are taken away without a hand.
Suddenly they come to an end, even in the middle of the night: the blow comes on the men of wealth, and they are gone, and the strong are taken away without the hand of man.
21 "For his eyes are on the ways of a man. He sees all his goings.
For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.
22 There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, where evildoers may hide themselves.
There is no dark place, and no thick cloud, in which the workers of evil may take cover.
23 For he doesn't need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.
For he does not give man a fixed time to come before him to be judged.
24 He breaks in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out, and sets others in their place.
He sends the strong to destruction without searching out their cause, and puts others in their place.
25 Therefore he takes knowledge of their works. He overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
For he has knowledge of their works, overturning them in the night, so that they are crushed.
26 He strikes them as wicked men in the open sight of others;
The evil-doers are broken by his wrath, he puts his hand on them with force before the eyes of all onlookers.
27 because they turned aside from following him, and wouldn't pay attention to any of his ways,
Because they did not go after him, and took no note of his ways,
28 so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him. He heard the cry of the afflicted.
So that the cry of the poor might come up to him, and the prayer of those in need come to his ears.
29 When he gives quietness, who then can condemn? When he hides his face, who then can see him? Alike whether to a nation, or to a man,
30 that the godless man may not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people.
31 "For has any said to God, 'I am guilty, but I will not offend any more.
32 Teach me that which I do not see. If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more'?
33 Shall his recompense be as you desire, that you refuse it? For you must choose, and not I. Therefore speak what you know.
34 Men of understanding will tell me, yes, every wise man who hears me:
Men of knowledge, and all wise men, hearing me, will say,
35 'Job speaks without knowledge. His words are without wisdom.'
Job's words do not come from knowledge; they are not the fruit of wisdom.
36 I wish that Job were tried to the end, because of his answering like wicked men.
May Job be tested to the end, because his answers have been like those of evil men.
37 For he adds rebellion to his sin. He claps his hands among us, and multiplies his words against God."
For in addition to his sin, he is uncontrolled in heart; before our eyes he makes sport of God, increasing his words against him.
