Job 34
1 And Elihu answereth and saith:
And Elihu proceeded, and said:
2 Hear, O wise men, my words, And, O knowing ones, give ear to me.
Hear my words, ye wise men! Give ear to me, ye that have knowledge!
3 For the ear doth try words, And the palate tasteth to eat.
For the ear trieth words, As the mouth tasteth meat.
4 Judgment let us choose for ourselves, Let us know among ourselves what [is] good.
Let us examine for ourselves what is right; Let us know among ourselves what is true.
5 For Job hath said, 'I have been righteous, And God hath turned aside my right,
Job hath said, “I am righteous, And God refuseth me justice.
6 Against my right do I lie? Mortal [is] mine arrow — without transgression.'
Though I am innocent, I am made a liar; My wound is incurable, though I am free from transgression.”
7 Who [is] a man like Job? He drinketh scoffing like water,
Where is the man like Job, Who drinketh impiety like water;
8 And he hath travelled for company With workers of iniquity, So as to go with men of wickedness.
Who goeth in company with evil-doers, And walketh with wicked men?
9 For he hath said, 'It doth not profit a man, When he delighteth himself with God.'
For he hath said, “A man hath no advantage, When he delighteth himself in 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:
Wherefore hearken to me, ye men of understanding! Far be iniquity from God; Yea, far be injustice from the Almighty!
11 For the work of man he repayeth to him, And according to the path of each He doth cause him to find.
For what a man hath done he will requite him, And render to every one according to his deeds.
12 Yea, truly, God doth not do wickedly, And the Mighty doth not pervert judgment.
Surely God will not do iniquity, Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.
13 Who hath inspected for Himself the earth? And who hath placed all the habitable world?
Who hath given him the charge of the earth? Or who hath created the whole world?
14 If He doth set on him His heart, His spirit and his breath unto Him He gathereth.
Should he set his heart against man, Should he take back his spirit and his breath,
15 Expire doth all flesh together, And man to dust returneth.
Then would all flesh expire together; Yea, man would return to the dust.
16 And if [there is] understanding, hear this, Give ear to the voice of my words.
If thou hast understanding, hear this! Give ear to the voice of my words!
17 Yea, doth one hating justice govern? Or the Most Just dost thou condemn?
Shall he, that hateth justice, govern? Wilt thou then condemn the just and mighty One?
18 Who hath said to a king — 'Worthless,' Unto princes — 'Wicked?'
Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked; Or to princes, Ye are unrighteous?
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.
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 [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; yea, at midnight Do the people stagger and pass away, And the mighty are destroyed without hand.
21 For His eyes [are] on the ways of each, And all his steps He doth see.
For his eyes are upon the ways of man; He seeth all his steps.
22 There is no darkness nor death-shade, For workers of iniquity to be hidden there;
There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, Where evil-doers may hide themselves.
23 For He doth not suffer man any more, To go unto God in judgment,
He needeth not attend long to a man, That he may go into judgment before God;
24 He breaketh the mighty — no searching! And He appointeth others in their stead.
He dasheth in pieces the mighty without inquiry, And setteth up others in their stead.
25 Therefore He knoweth their works, And He hath overturned by night, And they are bruised.
Therefore he knoweth their works, And in a night he overthroweth them, so that they are destroyed.
26 As wicked He hath stricken them, In the place of beholders.
On account of their wickedness he smiteth them, In the presence of many beholders;
27 Because that against right They have turned aside from after Him, And none of His ways have considered wisely,
Because they turned away from him, And had no regard to his ways,
28 To cause to come in unto Him The cry of the poor, And the cry of the afflicted He heareth.
And caused the cry of the poor to come before him; For he heareth the cry of the oppressed.
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 giveth rest, who can cause trouble? And when he hideth his face, Who can behold him?
30 From the reigning of a profane man, From the snares of a people;
So is it with nations and individuals alike! That the wicked may no more rule, And may not be snares to the people.
31 For unto God hath any said: 'I have taken away, I do not corruptly,
Surely thou shouldst say unto God, “I have received chastisement; I will no more offend;
32 Besides [that which] I see, shew Thou me, If iniquity I have done — I do not add?'
What I see not, teach thou me! 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 he recompense according to thy mind, Because thou refusest, or because thou choosest, and not he? Speak, if thou hast knowledge!
34 Let men of heart say to me, And a wise man is hearkening to me.
Men of understanding, Wise men, who hear me, will say,
35 Job — not with knowledge doth he speak, And his words [are] not with wisdom.
“Job hath spoken without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom.”
36 My Father! let Job be tried — unto victory, Because of answers for men of iniquity,
I desire that Job may be tried to the last, For 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 addeth impiety to his sin; He clappeth his hands among us, And multiplieth words against God.
