Job 34
1 pronuntians itaque Heliu etiam haec locutus est
Moreover, Elihu continued to speak:
2 audite sapientes verba mea et eruditi auscultate me
“Listen to my words, you wise men; hear me, you who have knowledge.
3 auris enim verba probat et guttur escas gustu diiudicat
For the ear tries words as the palate tastes food.
4 iudicium eligamus nobis et inter nos videamus quid sit melius
Let us choose for ourselves what is just: let us discover among ourselves what is good.
5 quia dixit Iob iustus sum et Deus subvertit iudicium meum
For Job has said, 'I am righteous, but God has taken away my rights.
6 in iudicando enim me mendacium est violenta sagitta mea absque ullo peccato
Regardless of my rights, I am considered to be a liar. My wound is incurable, although I am without sin.'
7 quis est vir ut est Iob qui bibit subsannationem quasi aquam
What man is like Job, who drinks up mockery like water,
8 qui graditur cum operantibus iniquitatem et ambulat cum viris impiis
who goes around in the company of those who do evil, and who walks with wicked men?
9 dixit enim non placebit vir Deo etiam si cucurrerit cum eo
For he has said, 'It is no use to a person to take pleasure in doing what God wants.'
10 ideo viri cordati audite me absit a Deo impietas et ab Omnipotente iniquitas
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.
11 opus enim hominis reddet ei et iuxta vias singulorum restituet
For he pays back a person's work; he makes every man come upon the reward of his own ways.
12 vere enim Deus non condemnabit frustra nec Omnipotens subvertet iudicium
Indeed, God does nothing wicked, nor does the Almighty ever pervert justice.
13 quem constituit alium super terram aut quem posuit super orbem quem fabricatus est
Who put him in charge over the earth? Who put the whole world under him?
14 si direxerit ad eum cor suum spiritum illius et flatum ad se trahet
If he ever set his intentions only on himself, and if he ever gathered back to himself his spirit and his breath,
15 deficiet omnis caro simul et homo in cinerem revertetur
then all flesh would perish together; mankind would return to dust again.
16 si habes ergo intellectum audi quod dicitur et ausculta vocem eloquii mei
If now you have understanding, listen to this; listen to the sound of my words.
17 numquid qui non amat iudicium sanare potest et quomodo tu eum qui iustus est in tantum condemnas
Can one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn God, who is righteous and mighty?
18 qui dicit regi apostata qui vocat duces impios
God, who says to a king, 'You are vile,' or says to nobles, 'You are wicked'?
19 qui non accipit personas principum nec cognovit tyrannum cum disceptaret contra pauperem opus enim manuum eius sunt universi
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.
20 subito morientur et in media nocte turbabuntur populi et pertransibunt et auferent violentum absque manu
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.
21 oculi enim eius super vias hominum et omnes gressus eorum considerat
For God's eyes are upon a person's ways; he sees all his steps.
22 non sunt tenebrae et non est umbra mortis ut abscondantur ibi qui operantur iniquitatem
There is no darkness, no thick gloom where the doers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 neque enim ultra in hominis potestate est ut veniat ad Deum in iudicium
For God does not need to examine a person further; there is no need for any person to go before him in judgment.
24 conteret multos innumerabiles et stare faciet alios pro eis
He breaks mighty men into pieces for their ways that need no further investigation; he puts others in their places.
25 novit enim opera eorum et idcirco inducet noctem et conterentur
In this way he has knowledge of their deeds; he overthrows these people in the night; they are destroyed.
26 quasi impios percussit eos in loco videntium
In the open sight of others, he kills them for their wicked deeds like criminals
27 qui quasi de industria recesserunt ab eo et omnes vias eius intellegere noluerunt
because they turned away from following him and refused to acknowledge any of his ways.
28 ut pervenire facerent ad eum clamorem egeni et audiret vocem pauperum
In this way, they made the cry of poor people come to him; he heard the cry of afflicted people.
29 ipso enim concedente pacem quis est qui condemnet ex quo absconderit vultum quis est qui contempletur eum et super gentem et super omnes homines
When he stays silent, who can condemn him? If he hides his face, who can perceive him? He rules over nation and individual alike,
30 qui regnare facit hominem hypocritam propter peccata populi
so that a godless man may not rule, so that there may be no one to entrap people.
31 quia ergo ego locutus sum ad Deum te quoque non prohibeo
Suppose someone says to God, 'I am certainly guilty, but I will not sin any longer;
32 si erravi tu doce me si iniquitatem locutus sum ultra non addam
teach me what I cannot see; I have committed sin, but I will do it no longer.'
33 numquid a te Deus expetit eam quia displicuit tibi tu enim coepisti loqui et non ego quod si quid nosti melius loquere
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.
34 viri intellegentes loquantur mihi et vir sapiens audiat me
Men of understanding will say to me— indeed, every wise man who hears me will say,
35 Iob autem stulte locutus est et verba illius non sonant disciplinam
'Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without wisdom.'
36 pater mi probetur Iob usque ad finem ne desinas in hominibus iniquitatis
If only Job were put on trial in the smallest details of his case because of his talking like wicked men.
37 quia addit super peccata sua blasphemiam inter nos interim constringatur et tunc ad iudicium provocet sermonibus suis Deum
For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands in mockery in our midst; he piles up words against God.”
