Job 34

1 Furthermore Elihu answered and said,

And Elihu answereth and saith:

2 Hear my words, O ye wise [men]; and give ear to 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 mouth tasteth food.

For the ear doth try words, And the palate tasteth to eat.

4 Let us choose to us judgment: 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 judgment.

For Job hath said, 'I have been righteous, And God hath turned aside my right,

6 Should I lie against my right? my wound [is] incurable 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 Who 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 to 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 he shall render to 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 Yes, surely 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 hath given 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 should set his heart upon man, [if] he should gather to 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 would perish together, and man would turn again to 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 he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?

Yea, doth one hating justice govern? Or the Most Just dost thou condemn?

18 [Is it fit] to say to a king, [Thou art] wicked? [and] to princes, [Ye are] ungodly?

Who hath said to a king — 'Worthless,' Unto princes — 'Wicked?'

19 [How much less to him] that accepteth 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 shall die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be 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 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 will not lay upon man more [than right]; that he should enter into judgment with God.

For He doth not suffer man any more, To go unto God in judgment,

24 He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.

He breaketh the mighty — no searching! And He appointeth others in their stead.

25 Therefore he knoweth 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 back from him, and would not consider 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 cause the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heareth 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 make trouble? and when he hideth [his] face, who then can behold him? whether [it be done] against a nation, or against a man only:

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 hypocrite may not reign, lest the people should be ensnared.

From the reigning of a profane man, From the snares of a people;

31 Surely it is meet to be said to 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 no more.

Besides [that which] I see, shew Thou me, If iniquity I have done — I do not add?'

33 [Should it be] according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou shalt refuse, or whether thou shalt 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 Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken to me.

Let men of heart say to me, And a wise man is hearkening to me.

35 Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words [were] without wisdom.

Job — not with knowledge doth he speak, And his words [are] not with wisdom.

36 My desire [is that] Job may be tried to the end, because of [his] answers for wicked men.

My Father! let Job be tried — unto victory, Because of answers for men of iniquity,

37 For he addeth rebellion to 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.