Job 34

1 Moreover Elihu answered,

Furthermore Elihu responded, and said: —

2 "Hear my words, you sages. Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.

Hear, ye wise men, my words, and, ye who know, give ear unto me;

3 For the ear tries words, as the palate tastes food.

For, the ear, trieth words, as, the palate, tasteth in eating.

4 Let us choose for us that which is right. Let us know among ourselves what is good.

What is right, let us choose for ourselves, Let us know, among ourselves, what is good;

5 For Job has said, 'I am righteous, God has taken away my right:

For Job hath said—I am righteous, But, GOD, hath turned away my right;

6 Notwithstanding my right I am considered a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.'

Concerning mine own right, shall I tell a falsehood? Incurable is my disease—not for any transgression.

7 What man is like Job, who drinks scorn like water,

What man is like Job? He drinketh in scoffing like water;

8 Who goes in company with evildoers, and walks with wicked men?

And is on the way to keep company, with the workers of iniquity, and to walk with lawless men.

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

For he hath said, It profiteth not a man, when, his good pleasure, is with 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.

Wherefore, ye men of mind, hearken unto me, —Far be it, that, GOD, should be lawless, or, the Almighty, be perverse!

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

For, what any son of earth doeth, he repayeth him, and, according to every man’s course, he causeth him to find.

12 Yes surely, God will not do wickedly, neither will Shaddai pervert justice.

Nay, verily, GOD, will not condemn unjustly, —nor, the Almighty, pervert justice.

13 Who put him in charge of the earth? or who has appointed him over the whole world?

Who set him in charge of the earth? Or who appointed [him] the whole world?

14 If he set his heart on himself, If he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath,

If he should set against him his heart, His spirit and his inspiration, unto himself he should withdraw.

15 all flesh would perish together, and man would turn again to dust.

All flesh together, would cease to breathe, and, the earth-born, unto dust, would return.

16 "If now you have understanding, hear this. Listen to the voice of my words.

If then [thou hast] understanding, hear this, Give thou ear to the teaching of my words: —

17 Shall even one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty?—

Shall, the very hater of right, control? Or, the just—the mighty one, wilt thou condemn?

18 Who says to a king, 'Vile.' or to nobles, 'Wicked.'?

Doth one say to a king, Abandoned one! Or, Lawless one! unto nobles?

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.

For he hath shewn no respect of persons unto princes, neither hath he recognised the rich rather than the poor? For, the work of his hands, are they all.

20 In a moment they die, even at midnight. The people are shaken and pass away. The mighty are taken away without a hand.

In a moment, they die, even in the middle of the night, —A people are convulsed when they pass away, A mighty one is removed, without hand;

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, all his footsteps, he beholdeth, —

22 There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, where evildoers may hide themselves.

No darkness, and no death-shade, where the workers of iniquity may hide.

23 For he doesn't need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.

For, unto no man, doth he appoint a repetition, —in going unto GOD in judgment;

24 He breaks in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out, and sets others in their place.

He shattereth mighty ones unsearchably, and setteth up others in their stead:

25 Therefore he takes knowledge of their works. He overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

Therefore, he observeth their works, —and overturneth [them] in a night, and they are crushed;

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

In the place of lawless men, hath he chastised them, in presence of beholders.

27 because they turned aside from following him, and wouldn't pay attention to any of his ways,

Forasmuch, as they turned from following him, and, none of his ways, did they teach;

28 so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him. He heard the cry of the afflicted.

Causing to reach him the outcry of the poor, Yea, the outcry of the oppressed, he heareth.

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,

When, he, giveth quiet, who then shall condemn? And, when he hideth [his] face, who then shall sing of him? whether unto a nation or unto mankind altogether,

30 that the godless man may not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people.

That impious men may not reign, nor be ensnarers of the people.

31 "For has any said to God, 'I am guilty, but I will not offend any more.

For, unto GOD, hath one [ever] said—I have borne punishment, I will not be perverse;

32 Teach me that which I do not see. If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more'?

What I see not, do, thou, shew me, If, perverseness, I have wrought, 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.

According to thy mind, must he requite it, that thou hast refused? For, thou, must choose, and not, I, What then thou knowest, speak!

34 Men of understanding will tell me, yes, every wise man who hears me:

The men of mind, will say to me, yea any wise man hearkening unto me: —

35 'Job speaks without knowledge. His words are without wisdom.'

Job, without knowledge, doth speak, and, his words, are not with discretion.

36 I wish that Job were tried to the end, because of his answering like wicked men.

Would that Job might be tested to the uttermost, for replying with the men of iniquity:

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

For he addeth—unto his sin—rebellion, In our midst, he clappeth his hands, and multiplieth his sayings against GOD.