Job 34
1 Furthermore Elihu responded, and said: —
Moreover Elihu answered,
2 Hear, ye wise men, my words, and, ye who know, give ear unto me;
"Hear my words, you sages. Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.
3 For, the ear, trieth words, as, the palate, tasteth in eating.
For the ear tries words, as the palate tastes food.
4 What is right, 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 am righteous, But, GOD, hath turned away my right;
For Job has said, 'I am righteous, God has taken away my right:
6 Concerning mine own right, shall I tell a falsehood? Incurable is my disease—not for any transgression.
Notwithstanding my right I am considered a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.'
7 What man is like Job? He drinketh in scoffing like water;
What man is like Job, who drinks scorn like water,
8 And is on the way to keep company, with the workers of iniquity, and to walk with lawless men.
Who goes in company with evildoers, and walks with wicked men?
9 For he hath said, It profiteth not a man, when, his good pleasure, is with God.
For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.'
10 Wherefore, ye men of mind, hearken unto me, —Far be it, that, GOD, should be lawless, or, the Almighty, be perverse!
"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, what any son of earth doeth, he repayeth him, and, according to every man’s course, he causeth 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 Nay, verily, GOD, will not condemn unjustly, —nor, the Almighty, pervert justice.
Yes surely, God will not do wickedly, neither will Shaddai pervert justice.
13 Who set him in charge of the earth? Or who appointed [him] the whole world?
Who put him in charge of the earth? or who has appointed him over the whole world?
14 If he should set against him his heart, His spirit and his inspiration, unto himself he should withdraw.
If he set his heart on himself, If he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath,
15 All flesh together, would cease to breathe, and, the earth-born, unto dust, would return.
all flesh would perish together, and man would turn again to dust.
16 If then [thou hast] understanding, hear this, Give thou ear to the teaching of my words: —
"If now you have understanding, hear this. Listen to the voice of my words.
17 Shall, the very hater of right, control? Or, the just—the mighty one, wilt thou condemn?
Shall even one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty?—
18 Doth one say to a king, Abandoned one! Or, Lawless one! unto nobles?
Who says to a king, 'Vile.' or to nobles, 'Wicked.'?
19 For he hath shewn no respect of persons unto princes, neither hath he recognised the rich rather than the poor? For, the work of his hands, are they all.
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, even in the middle of the night, —A people are convulsed when they pass away, A mighty one is removed, 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 a man, and, all his footsteps, he beholdeth, —
"For his eyes are on the ways of a man. He sees all his goings.
22 No darkness, and no death-shade, where the workers of iniquity may hide.
There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, where evildoers may hide themselves.
23 For, unto no man, doth he appoint a repetition, —in going unto GOD in judgment;
For he doesn't need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.
24 He shattereth mighty ones unsearchably, and setteth up others in their stead:
He breaks in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out, and sets others in their place.
25 Therefore, he observeth their works, —and overturneth [them] in a night, and they are crushed;
Therefore he takes knowledge of their works. He overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
26 In the place of lawless men, hath he chastised them, in presence of beholders.
He strikes them as wicked men in the open sight of others;
27 Forasmuch, as they turned from following him, and, none of his ways, did they teach;
because they turned aside from following him, and wouldn't pay attention to any of his ways,
28 Causing to reach him the outcry of the poor, Yea, the outcry of the oppressed, he heareth.
so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him. He heard the cry of the afflicted.
29 When, he, giveth quiet, who then shall condemn? And, when he hideth [his] face, who then shall sing of him? whether unto a nation or unto mankind altogether,
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 That impious men may not reign, nor be ensnarers of the people.
that the godless man may not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people.
31 For, unto GOD, hath one [ever] said—I have borne punishment, I will not be perverse;
"For has any said to God, 'I am guilty, but I will not offend any more.
32 What I see not, do, thou, shew me, If, perverseness, I have wrought, I will do it no more?
Teach me that which I do not see. If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more'?
33 According to thy mind, must he requite it, that thou hast refused? For, thou, must choose, and not, I, What then thou knowest, 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 The men of mind, will say to me, yea any wise man hearkening unto me: —
Men of understanding will tell me, yes, every wise man who hears me:
35 Job, without knowledge, doth speak, and, his words, are not with discretion.
'Job speaks without knowledge. His words are without wisdom.'
36 Would that Job might be tested to the uttermost, for replying with the men of iniquity:
I wish that Job were tried to the end, because of his answering like wicked men.
37 For he addeth—unto his sin—rebellion, In our midst, he clappeth his hands, and multiplieth his sayings against GOD.
For he adds rebellion to his sin. He claps his hands among us, and multiplies his words against God."
