< Job 34 >

1 Moreover, Elihu continued to speak:
And Elius continued, and said,
2 “Listen to my words, you wise men; hear me, you who have knowledge.
Hear me, you wise men; listen, you that have knowledge.
3 For the ear tries words as the palate tastes food.
For the ear tries words, and the mouth tastes meat.
4 Let us choose for ourselves what is just: let us discover among ourselves what is good.
Let us choose judgment to ourselves: let us know amount ourselves what is right.
5 For Job has said, 'I am righteous, but God has taken away my rights.
For Job has said, I am righteous: the Lord has removed my judgment.
6 Regardless of my rights, I am considered to be a liar. My wound is incurable, although I am without sin.'
And he has erred in my judgment: my wound is severe without unrighteousness [of mine].
7 What man is like Job, who drinks up mockery like water,
What man is as Job, drinking scorning like water?
8 who goes around in the company of those who do evil, and who walks with wicked men?
[saying], I have not sinned, nor committed ungodliness, nor had fellowship with workers of iniquity, to go with the ungodly.
9 For he has said, 'It is no use to a person to take pleasure in doing what God wants.'
For you should not say, There shall be no visitation of a man, whereas [there is] a visitation on him from the Lord.
10 So listen to me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness; far be it from the Almighty that he should commit sin.
Therefore hear me, you that are wise in heart: far be it from me to sin before the Lord, and to pervert righteousness before the almighty.
11 For he pays back a person's work; he makes every man come upon the reward of his own ways.
Yes, he renders to a man accordingly as each of them does, and in a man's path he will find him.
12 Indeed, God does nothing wicked, nor does the Almighty ever pervert justice.
And think you that the Lord will do wrong, or will the Almighty who made the earth wrest judgment?
13 Who put him in charge over the earth? Who put the whole world under him?
And who is he that made [the whole world] under heaven, and all things therein?
14 If he ever set his intentions only on himself, and if he ever gathered back to himself his spirit and his breath,
For if he would confine, and restrain his spirit with himself;
15 then all flesh would perish together; mankind would return to dust again.
all flesh would die together, and every mortal would return to the earth, whence also he was formed.
16 If now you have understanding, listen to this; listen to the sound of my words.
Take heed lest he rebuke [you]: hear this, listen to the voice of words.
17 Can one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn God, who is righteous and mighty?
Behold then the one that hates iniquities, and that destroys the wicked, who is for ever just.
18 God, who says to a king, 'You are vile,' or says to nobles, 'You are wicked'?
[He is] ungodly that says to a king, You are a transgressor, [that says] to princes, O most ungodly one.
19 God, who does not show favoritism to leaders and does not acknowledge rich people more than poor, for they all are the work of his hands.
[Such a one] as would not reverence the face of an honorable man, neither knows how to give honor to the great, so as that their persons should be respected.
20 In a moment they will die; at midnight people will be shaken and will pass away; mighty people will be taken away, but not by human hands.
But it shall turn out vanity to them, to cry and beseech a man; for they dealt unlawfully, the poor being turned aside [from their right].
21 For God's eyes are upon a person's ways; he sees all his steps.
For he surveys the works of men, and nothing of what they do has escaped him.
22 There is no darkness, no thick gloom where the doers of iniquity may hide themselves.
Neither shall there be a place for the workers of iniquity to hide themselves.
23 For God does not need to examine a person further; there is no need for any person to go before him in judgment.
For he will not lay upon a man more [than right].
24 He breaks mighty men into pieces for their ways that need no further investigation; he puts others in their places.
For the Lord looks down upon all men, who comprehends unsearchable things, glorious also and excellent things without number.
25 In this way he has knowledge of their deeds; he overthrows these people in the night; they are destroyed.
Who discovers their works, and will bring night about [upon them], and they shall be brought low.
26 In the open sight of others, he kills them for their wicked deeds like criminals
And he quite destroys the ungodly, for they are seen before him.
27 because they turned away from following him and refused to acknowledge any of his ways.
Because they turned aside from the law of God, and did not regard his ordinances,
28 In this way, they made the cry of poor people come to him; he heard the cry of afflicted people.
so as to bring before him the cry of the needy; for he will hear the cry of the poor.
29 When he stays silent, who can condemn him? If he hides his face, who can perceive him? He rules over nation and individual alike,
And he will give quiet, and who will condemn? and he will hide his face, and who shall see him? whether [it be done] against a nation, or against a man also:
30 so that a godless man may not rule, so that there may be no one to entrap people.
causing a hypocrite to be king, because of the waywardness of the people.
31 Suppose someone says to God, 'I am certainly guilty, but I will not sin any longer;
For [there is] one that says to the Mighty One, I have received [blessings]; I will not take a pledge:
32 teach me what I cannot see; I have committed sin, but I will do it no longer.'
I will see apart from myself: do you show me if I have done unrighteousness; I will not do [so] any more.
33 Do you think that God will punish that person's sin, since you dislike what God does? You must choose, not I. So say what it is that you know.
Will he take vengeance for it on you, whereas you will put [it] far [from you]? for you shall choose, and not I; and what you know, speak you.
34 Men of understanding will say to me— indeed, every wise man who hears me will say,
Because the wise in heart shall say this, and a wise man listens to my word.
35 'Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without wisdom.'
But Job has not spoken with understanding, his words are not [uttered] with knowledge.
36 If only Job were put on trial in the smallest details of his case because of his talking like wicked men.
Howbeit do you learn, Job: no longer make answer as the foolish:
37 For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands in mockery in our midst; he piles up words against God.”
that we add not to our sins: for iniquity will be reckoned against us, if [we] speak many words before the Lord.

< Job 34 >