Job 34
1 Then Elihu continued:
Moreover Elihu answered and said,
2 “You [three] men who [think that you] [SAR] are very wise, hear me; listen to what I am saying, you men who [say that you] know so much.
Hear my words, ye wise [men]; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
3 When we [SYN] hear what other people [like you] say, we [RHQ] think carefully about what they say [to determine what is good and what is bad], like we [SYN] taste food [to determine what is good].
For the ear trieth words, as the palate tasteth food.
4 We need to decide [who is saying] what is right and to determine among ourselves what is good/best.
Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us know among ourselves what is good!
5 Job has said, ‘I am innocent, but God has refused to judge me fairly/justly.
For Job hath said, I am righteous, and God hath taken away my judgment:
6 Even though I have always done what is right, he is lying about me. Even though I have not done what is wrong, he has caused me to suffer, and I will certainly die.’
Should I lie against my right? My wound is incurable without transgression.
7 (Is there any person like Job, who insults others as easily as people accept a drink of water?/There is no person like Job, who insults others as easily as people accept a drink of water.) [RHQ]
What man is like Job? he drinketh up scorning like water,
8 He habitually associates with people who do what is evil and spends time with wicked people.
And goeth in company with workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.
9 He has said, ‘It is useless for people to try to please God.’
For he hath said, It profiteth not a man if he delight himself in God.
10 “So, you men who [claim that you] understand everything, listen to me! Almighty God would never consider doing anything that is wicked or wrong [DOU]!
Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: Far be wickedness from God, and wrong from the Almighty!
11 He (pays back/punishes) people for what they have done; he gives them what they deserve for the way that they have conducted their lives.
For a man's work will he render to him, and cause every one to find according to [his] way.
12 Truly, Almighty God never does what is wicked; he always [LIT] does what is fair/just.
Yea, surely, God acteth not wickedly, and the Almighty perverteth not judgment.
13 The authority that he has to rule everything on the earth, no one [RHQ] gave it to him; no one [RHQ] put him in control of the whole world. [He has always had that authority].
Who hath entrusted to him the earth? and who hath disposed the whole world?
14 If he would take his spirit back to himself,
If he only thought of himself, [and] gathered unto him his spirit and his breath,
15 everyone would die [immediately], and their corpses would soon become dirt again.
All flesh would expire together, and man would return to the dust.
16 “So, [Job], if [you say that you] understand everything, listen to what I am saying.
If now [thou hast] understanding, hear this: give ear to the voice of my words!
17 God could certainly not [RHQ] govern the world if he hated doing what is fair/just. So, will you condemn God, who is righteous and powerful, [saying that what he has done is wrong]?
Should he that hateth right indeed govern? and wilt thou condemn the All-just?
18 He tells [some] kings that they are worthless, and he says to [some] officials that they are wicked.
Shall one say to a king, Belial? to nobles, Wicked?
19 He does not favor rulers [more than he favors others]; he does not favor rich people more than poor people, because he created all of them.
[How then to him] that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich man more than the poor? for they are all the work of his hands.
20 People [often] die suddenly; he strikes them at midnight and they die; he even gets rid of mighty people without the help of any humans [SYN].
In a moment they die, even at midnight the people are convulsed and pass away; and the strong are taken away without hand.
21 “He sees [MTY] everything that people do; [when we walk, ] he watches every step that we take.
For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his steps.
22 There is no gloom or darkness [DOU] that is so dark that sinners can hide [from him] in that darkness.
There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 God does not [need to] set a time when we will stand in front of him in order that he may judge us. [He can judge us whenever he wants to].
For he doth not long consider a man, to bring him before God in judgment.
24 He destroys mighty people without [needing to] investigate [what they have done], and he appoints others to take their places.
He breaketh in pieces mighty men without inquiry, and setteth others in their stead;
25 Because he [already] knows what they have done, he removes them at night and gets rid of them.
Since he knoweth their actions; and he overthroweth [them] in the night, and they are crushed.
26 Where [many] people can see it, he strikes/punishes them because of the wicked things that they have done;
He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others,
27 he strikes them because they turned away from doing what he wanted them to do and did not pay attention to any of his commands.
Because they have turned back from him, and would consider none of his ways;
28 They [mistreated] the poor people, with the result that those poor people cried out to God [for help], and he heard those afflicted people when they cried out [to him].
So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.
29 But if God decides to do nothing [to punish wicked people], no one can criticize/condemn him. If a godless/wicked man rules a nation, a man who tricks/deceives the people,
When he giveth quietness, who then will disturb? and when he hideth [his] face, who shall behold him? and this towards a nation, or towards a man alike;
30 and if [God] hides his face [with the result that he does not see that ruler or punish him], no one will be able to prevent that ruler [from doing those things].
That the ungodly man reign not, that the people be not ensnared.
31 “Job, have you or anyone else ever said to God, ‘I have been punished [for my sins], and I will not sin any more;
For hath he said unto God, I bear [chastisement], I will not offend;
32 so teach/show me what [sins I have committed]; if I have done anything that is evil, I will not do it any more’?
What I see not, teach thou me; if I have done wrong, I will do so no more?
33 [Job, ] you object to what God has done to you, but do you think that he will do what you want him to do? It is you who must choose [what you say to God], not I; so tell me what you are thinking about this.
Shall he recompense according to thy mind? for thou hast refused [his judgment]; for thou so choosest, and not I; speak then what thou knowest.
34 “People who have good sense, those who are wise and who listen to what I say, will say to me,
Men of understanding will say to me, and a wise man who heareth me:
35 ‘Job is speaking ignorantly; what he says is nonsense.’
Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were not with intelligence.
36 I think that Job should be taken to a court and (put on trial/judged), because he answers [us his friends] like wicked men would answer.
Would that Job may be tried unto the end, because of [his] answers after the manner of evil men!
37 To add to the [other] sins that he has committed, he is rebelling [against God]; he shows us that he does not respect God [IDM], making long speeches [saying that God has punished him unjustly].”
For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth [his hands] among us, and multiplieth his words against God.
