Job 34
1 And Elihu answereth and saith:
Moreover Elihu answered,
2 Hear, O wise men, my words, And, O knowing ones, give ear to me.
"Hear my words, you sages. Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.
3 For the ear doth try words, And the palate tasteth to eat.
For the ear tries words, as the palate tastes food.
4 Judgment let us choose for ourselves, Let us know among ourselves what [is] good.
Let us choose for us that which is right. Let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job hath said, 'I have been righteous, And God hath turned aside my right,
For Job has said, 'I am righteous, God has taken away my right:
6 Against my right do I lie? Mortal [is] mine arrow — without transgression.'
Notwithstanding my right I am considered a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.'
7 Who [is] a man like Job? He drinketh scoffing like water,
What man is like Job, who drinks scorn like water,
8 And he hath travelled for company With workers of iniquity, So as to go with men of wickedness.
Who goes in company with evildoers, and walks with wicked men?
9 For he hath said, 'It doth not profit a man, When he delighteth himself with God.'
For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.'
10 Therefore, O men of heart, hearken to me; Far be it from God to do wickedness, And [from] the Mighty to do perverseness:
"Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, from Shaddai, that he should commit iniquity.
11 For the work of man he repayeth to him, And according to the path of each He doth cause him to find.
For the work of a man he will render to him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
12 Yea, truly, God doth not do wickedly, And the Mighty doth not pervert judgment.
Yes surely, God will not do wickedly, neither will Shaddai pervert justice.
13 Who hath inspected for Himself the earth? And who hath placed all the habitable world?
Who put him in charge of the earth? or who has appointed him over the whole world?
14 If He doth set on him His heart, His spirit and his breath unto Him He gathereth.
If he set his heart on himself, If he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath,
15 Expire doth all flesh together, And man to dust returneth.
all flesh would perish together, and man would turn again to dust.
16 And if [there is] understanding, hear this, Give ear to the voice of my words.
"If now you have understanding, hear this. Listen to the voice of my words.
17 Yea, doth one hating justice govern? Or the Most Just dost thou condemn?
Shall even one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty?
18 Who hath said to a king — 'Worthless,' Unto princes — 'Wicked?'
Who says to a king, 'Vile.' or to nobles, 'Wicked.'?
19 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.
Who doesn't respect the persons of princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor; for they all are the work of his hands.
20 [In] a moment they die, and at midnight Shake do people, and they pass away, And they remove the mighty without hand.
In a moment they die, even at midnight. The people are shaken and pass away. The mighty are taken away without a hand.
21 For His eyes [are] on the ways of each, And all his steps He doth see.
"For his eyes are on the ways of a man. He sees all his goings.
22 There is no darkness nor death-shade, For workers of iniquity to be hidden there;
There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, where evildoers may hide themselves.
23 For He doth not suffer man any more, To go unto God in judgment,
For he doesn't need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.
24 He breaketh the mighty — no searching! And He appointeth others in their stead.
He breaks in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out, and sets others in their place.
25 Therefore He knoweth their works, And He hath overturned by night, And they are bruised.
Therefore he takes knowledge of their works. He overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
26 As wicked He hath stricken them, In the place of beholders.
He strikes them as wicked men in the open sight of others;
27 Because that against right They have turned aside from after Him, And none of His ways have considered wisely,
because they turned aside from following him, and wouldn't pay attention to any of his ways,
28 To cause to come in unto Him The cry of the poor, And the cry of the afflicted He heareth.
so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him. He heard the cry of the afflicted.
29 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.
When he gives quietness, who then can condemn? When he hides his face, who then can see him? Alike whether to a nation, or to a man,
30 From the reigning of a profane man, From the snares of a people;
that the godless man may not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people.
31 For unto God hath any said: 'I have taken away, I do not corruptly,
"For has any said to God, 'I am guilty, but I will not offend any more.
32 Besides [that which] I see, shew Thou me, If iniquity I have done — I do not add?'
Teach me that which I do not see. If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more'?
33 By thee doth He recompense, That thou hast refused — That thou dost choose, and not I? And what thou hast known, speak.
Shall his recompense be as you desire, that you refuse it? For you must choose, and not I. Therefore speak what you know.
34 Let men of heart say to me, And a wise man is hearkening to me.
Men of understanding will tell me, yes, every wise man who hears me:
35 Job — not with knowledge doth he speak, And his words [are] not with wisdom.
'Job speaks without knowledge. His words are without wisdom.'
36 My Father! let Job be tried — unto victory, Because of answers for men of iniquity,
I wish that Job were tried to the end, because of his answering like wicked men.
37 For he doth add to his sin, Transgression among us he vomiteth, And multiplieth his sayings to God.
For he adds rebellion to his sin. He claps his hands among us, and multiplies his words against God."
