Job 34
1 Moreover Elihu answered and said,
And Elihu answereth and saith:
2 Hear my words, ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
Hear, O wise men, my words, And, O knowing ones, give ear to me.
3 For the ear trieth words, as the palate tasteth meat.
For the ear doth try words, And the palate tasteth to eat.
4 Let us choose for us that which is right: let us know among ourselves what is good.
Judgment let us choose for ourselves, Let us know among ourselves what [is] good.
5 For Job hath said, I am righteous, and God hath taken away my right:
For Job hath said, 'I have been righteous, And God hath turned aside my right,
6 Notwithstanding my right I am [accounted] a liar; my wound is incurable, [though I am] without transgression.
Against my right do I lie? Mortal [is] mine arrow — without transgression.'
7 What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?
Who [is] a man like Job? He drinketh scoffing like water,
8 Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.
And he hath travelled for company With workers of iniquity, So as to go with men of wickedness.
9 For he hath said, it profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.
For he hath said, 'It doth not profit a man, When he delighteth himself with God.'
10 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.
Therefore, O men of heart, hearken to me; Far be it from God to do wickedness, And [from] the Mighty to do perverseness:
11 For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
For the work of man he repayeth to him, And according to the path of each He doth cause him to find.
12 Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.
Yea, truly, God doth not do wickedly, And the Mighty doth not pervert judgment.
13 Who gave him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?
Who hath inspected for Himself the earth? And who hath placed all the habitable world?
14 If he set his heart upon man, [if] he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
If He doth set on him His heart, His spirit and his breath unto Him He gathereth.
15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.
Expire doth all flesh together, And man to dust returneth.
16 If now [thou hast] understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words.
And if [there is] understanding, hear this, Give ear to the voice of my words.
17 Shall even one that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is just [and] mighty?
Yea, doth one hating justice govern? Or the Most Just dost thou condemn?
18 Is it [fit] to say to a king, [Thou art] vile? [or] to nobles, [Ye are] wicked?
Who hath said to a king — 'Worthless,' Unto princes — 'Wicked?'
19 [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.
That hath not accepted the person of princes, Nor hath known the rich before the poor, For a work of His hands [are] all of them.
20 In a moment they die, even at midnight; the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away without hand.
[In] a moment they die, and at midnight Shake do people, and they pass away, And they remove the mighty without hand.
21 For his eyes are upon the ways of a man, and he seeth all his goings.
For His eyes [are] on the ways of each, And all his steps He doth see.
22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
There is no darkness nor death-shade, For workers of iniquity to be hidden there;
23 For he needeth not further to consider a man, that he should go before God in judgment.
For He doth not suffer man any more, To go unto God in judgment,
24 He breaketh in pieces mighty men [in ways] past finding out, and setteth others in their stead.
He breaketh the mighty — no searching! And He appointeth others in their stead.
25 Therefore he taketh knowledge of their works; and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
Therefore He knoweth their works, And He hath overturned by night, And they are bruised.
26 He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;
As wicked He hath stricken them, In the place of beholders.
27 Because they turned aside from following him, and would not have regard to any of his ways:
Because that against right They have turned aside from after Him, And none of His ways have considered wisely,
28 So that they caused the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted.
To cause to come in unto Him The cry of the poor, And the cry of the afflicted He heareth.
29 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:
And He giveth rest, and who maketh wrong? And hideth the face, and who beholdeth it? And in reference to a nation and to a man, [It is] the same.
30 That the godless man reign not, that there be none to ensnare the people.
From the reigning of a profane man, From the snares of a people;
31 For hath any said unto God, I have borne [chastisement], I will not offend [any more]:
For unto God hath any said: 'I have taken away, I do not corruptly,
32 That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?
Besides [that which] I see, shew Thou me, If iniquity I have done — I do not add?'
33 Shall his recompence be as thou wilt, that thou refusest it? for thou must choose, and not I: therefore speak what thou knowest.
By thee doth He recompense, That thou hast refused — That thou dost choose, and not I? And what thou hast known, speak.
34 Men of understanding will say unto me, yea, every wise man that heareth me:
Let men of heart say to me, And a wise man is hearkening to me.
35 Job speaketh without knowledge, and his words are without wisdom.
Job — not with knowledge doth he speak, And his words [are] not with wisdom.
36 Would that Job were tried unto the end, because of his answering like wicked men.
My Father! let Job be tried — unto victory, Because of answers for men of iniquity,
37 For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.
For he doth add to his sin, Transgression among us he vomiteth, And multiplieth his sayings to God.
