Job 34

1 Moreover Elihu answered,

And Elihu answereth and saith:

2 “Hear my words, you wise men. Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.

Hear, O wise men, my words, And, O knowing ones, give ear to me.

3 For the ear tries words, as the palate tastes food.

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 amongst ourselves what is good.

Judgment let us choose for ourselves, Let us know among ourselves what [is] good.

5 For Job has said, ‘I am righteous, God has 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 considered a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.’

Against my right do I lie? Mortal [is] mine arrow — without transgression.'

7 What man is like Job, who drinks scorn like water,

Who [is] a man like Job? He drinketh scoffing like water,

8 who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, and walks with wicked men?

And he hath travelled for company With workers of iniquity, So as to go with men of wickedness.

9 For he has said, ‘It profits 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 listen to me, you men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, 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 will 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 justice.

Yea, truly, God doth not do wickedly, And the Mighty doth not pervert judgment.

13 Who put him in charge of the earth? Or who has appointed him over the whole world?

Who hath inspected for Himself the earth? And who hath placed all the habitable world?

14 If he set his heart on himself, if he gathered 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 you have understanding, hear this. Listen to the voice of my words.

And if [there is] understanding, hear this, Give ear to the voice of my words.

17 Should even one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,

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

18 who says to a king, ‘Vile!’ or to nobles, ‘Wicked!’?

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

19 He doesn’t respect the persons of princes, nor respect 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. The mighty are taken away without a 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 on the ways of a man. He sees 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 thick gloom, 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 doesn’t need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgement.

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

24 He breaks mighty men in pieces in ways past finding out, and sets others in their place.

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

25 Therefore he takes knowledge of their works. He overturns 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 strikes 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 away from following him, and wouldn’t pay attention 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 to him. 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 gives quietness, who then can condemn? When he hides his face, who then can see him? He is over a nation or 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 may not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people.

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

31 “For has any said to God, ‘I am guilty, but I will not offend any more.

For unto God hath any said: 'I have taken away, I do not corruptly,

32 Teach me that which I don’t see. 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 recompense be as you desire, that you refuse it? For you must choose, and not I. Therefore speak what you know.

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 tell me, yes, every wise man who hears me:

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

35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge. His words are without wisdom.’

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

36 I wish that Job were tried to 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 adds rebellion to his sin. He claps his hands amongst us, and multiplies his words against God.”

For he doth add to his sin, Transgression among us he vomiteth, And multiplieth his sayings to God.