Job 34
1 Then Elihu continued:
And Elihu proceeded, 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! Give ear to 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 mouth tasteth meat.
4 We need to decide [who is saying] what is right and to determine among ourselves what is good/best.
Let us examine for ourselves what is right; Let us know among ourselves what is true.
5 Job has said, ‘I am innocent, but God has refused to judge me fairly/justly.
Job hath said, “I am righteous, And God refuseth me justice.
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.’
Though I am innocent, I am made a liar; My wound is incurable, though I am free from 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]
Where is the man like Job, Who drinketh impiety like water;
8 He habitually associates with people who do what is evil and spends time with wicked people.
Who goeth in company with evil-doers, And walketh with wicked men?
9 He has said, ‘It is useless for people to try to please God.’
For he hath said, “A man hath no advantage, When he delighteth 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]!
Wherefore hearken to me, ye men of understanding! Far be iniquity from God; Yea, far be injustice 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 what a man hath done he will requite him, And render to every one according to his deeds.
12 Truly, Almighty God never does what is wicked; he always [LIT] does what is fair/just.
Surely God will not do iniquity, Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.
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 given him the charge of the earth? Or who hath created the whole world?
14 If he would take his spirit back to himself,
Should he set his heart against man, Should he take back his spirit and his breath,
15 everyone would die [immediately], and their corpses would soon become dirt again.
Then would all flesh expire together; Yea, man would return to the dust.
16 “So, [Job], if [you say that you] understand everything, listen to what I am saying.
If 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]?
Shall he, that hateth justice, govern? Wilt thou then condemn the just and mighty One?
18 He tells [some] kings that they are worthless, and he says to [some] officials that they are wicked.
Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked; Or to princes, Ye are unrighteous?
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 much less to him that is not partial to princes, Nor regardeth the rich 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; yea, at midnight Do the people stagger and pass away, And the mighty are destroyed 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; 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 evil-doers 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].
He needeth not attend long to a man, That he may go into judgment before God;
24 He destroys mighty people without [needing to] investigate [what they have done], and he appoints others to take their places.
He dasheth in pieces the mighty without inquiry, And setteth up others in their stead.
25 Because he [already] knows what they have done, he removes them at night and gets rid of them.
Therefore he knoweth their works, And in a night he overthroweth them, so that they are destroyed.
26 Where [many] people can see it, he strikes/punishes them because of the wicked things that they have done;
On account of their wickedness he smiteth them, In the presence of many beholders;
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 turned away from him, And had no regard to 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].
And caused the cry of the poor to come before him; For he heareth the cry of the oppressed.
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 rest, who can cause trouble? And when he hideth his face, Who can behold him?
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].
So is it with nations and individuals alike! That the wicked may no more rule, And may not be snares to the people.
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;
Surely thou shouldst say unto God, “I have received chastisement; I will no more 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 iniquity, I will do it 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, Because thou refusest, or because thou choosest, and not he? Speak, if thou hast knowledge!
34 “People who have good sense, those who are wise and who listen to what I say, will say to me,
Men of understanding, Wise men, who hear me, will say,
35 ‘Job is speaking ignorantly; what he says is nonsense.’
“Job hath spoken without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom.”
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.
I desire that Job may be tried to the last, For answering like wicked 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 impiety to his sin; He clappeth his hands among us, And multiplieth words against God.
