Job 34
1 Then Elihu continued:
And Elius continued, and said,
2 “You [three] men who [think that you] [SAR] are very wise, hear me; listen to what I am saying, you men who [say that you] know so much.
Hear me, you wise men; listen, you that have knowledge.
3 When we [SYN] hear what other people [like you] say, we [RHQ] think carefully about what they say [to determine what is good and what is bad], like we [SYN] taste food [to determine what is good].
For the ear tries words, and the mouth tastes meat.
4 We need to decide [who is saying] what is right and to determine among ourselves what is good/best.
Let us choose judgement to ourselves: let us know amount ourselves what is right.
5 Job has said, ‘I am innocent, but God has refused to judge me fairly/justly.
For Job has said, I am righteous: the Lord has removed my judgement.
6 Even though I have always done what is right, he is lying about me. Even though I have not done what is wrong, he has caused me to suffer, and I will certainly die.’
And he has erred in my judgement: my wound is severe without unrighteousness [of mine].
7 (Is there any person like Job, who insults others as easily as people accept a drink of water?/There is no person like Job, who insults others as easily as people accept a drink of water.) [RHQ]
What man is as Job, drinking scorning like water?
8 He habitually associates with people who do what is evil and spends time with wicked people.
[saying], I have not sinned, nor committed ungodliness, nor had fellowship with workers of iniquity, to go with the ungodly.
9 He has said, ‘It is useless for people to try to please God.’
For you should not say, There shall be no visitation of a man, whereas [there is] a visitation on him from the Lord.
10 “So, you men who [claim that you] understand everything, listen to me! Almighty God would never consider doing anything that is wicked or wrong [DOU]!
Therefore hear me, you that are wise in heart: far be it from me to sin before the Lord, and to pervert righteousness before the almighty.
11 He (pays back/punishes) people for what they have done; he gives them what they deserve for the way that they have conducted their lives.
Yes, he renders to a man accordingly as each of them does, and in a man's path he will find him.
12 Truly, Almighty God never does what is wicked; he always [LIT] does what is fair/just.
And think you that the Lord will do wrong, or will the Almighty who made the earth wrest judgement?
13 The authority that he has to rule everything on the earth, no one [RHQ] gave it to him; no one [RHQ] put him in control of the whole world. [He has always had that authority].
And who is he that made [the whole world] under heaven, and all things therein?
14 If he would take his spirit back to himself,
For if he would confine, and restrain his spirit with himself;
15 everyone would die [immediately], and their corpses would soon become dirt again.
all flesh would die together, and every mortal would return to the earth, whence also he was formed.
16 “So, [Job], if [you say that you] understand everything, listen to what I am saying.
Take heed lest he rebuke [you]: hear this, listen to the voice of words.
17 God could certainly not [RHQ] govern the world if he hated doing what is fair/just. So, will you condemn God, who is righteous and powerful, [saying that what he has done is wrong]?
Behold then the one that hates iniquities, and that destroys the wicked, who is for ever just.
18 He tells [some] kings that they are worthless, and he says to [some] officials that they are wicked.
[He is] ungodly that says to a king, You are a transgressor, [that says] to princes, O most ungodly one.
19 He does not favor rulers [more than he favors others]; he does not favor rich people more than poor people, because he created all of them.
[Such a one] as would not reverence the face of an honourable man, neither knows how to give honour to the great, so as that their persons should be respected.
20 People [often] die suddenly; he strikes them at midnight and they die; he even gets rid of mighty people without the help of any humans [SYN].
But it shall turn out vanity to them, to cry and beseech a man; for they dealt unlawfully, the poor being turned aside [from their right].
21 “He sees [MTY] everything that people do; [when we walk, ] he watches every step that we take.
For he surveys the works of men, and nothing of what they do has escaped him.
22 There is no gloom or darkness [DOU] that is so dark that sinners can hide [from him] in that darkness.
Neither shall there be a place for the workers of iniquity to hide themselves.
23 God does not [need to] set a time when we will stand in front of him in order that he may judge us. [He can judge us whenever he wants to].
For he will not lay upon a man more [than right].
24 He destroys mighty people without [needing to] investigate [what they have done], and he appoints others to take their places.
For the Lord looks down upon all men, who comprehends unsearchable things, glorious also and excellent things without number.
25 Because he [already] knows what they have done, he removes them at night and gets rid of them.
Who discovers their works, and will bring night about [upon them], and they shall be brought low.
26 Where [many] people can see it, he strikes/punishes them because of the wicked things that they have done;
And he quite destroys the ungodly, for they are seen before him.
27 he strikes them because they turned away from doing what he wanted them to do and did not pay attention to any of his commands.
Because they turned aside from the law of God, and did not regard his ordinances,
28 They [mistreated] the poor people, with the result that those poor people cried out to God [for help], and he heard those afflicted people when they cried out [to him].
so as to bring before him the cry of the needy; for he will hear the cry of the poor.
29 But if God decides to do nothing [to punish wicked people], no one can criticize/condemn him. If a godless/wicked man rules a nation, a man who tricks/deceives the people,
And he will give quiet, and who will condemn? and he will hide his face, and who shall see him? whether [it be done] against a nation, or against a man also:
30 and if [God] hides his face [with the result that he does not see that ruler or punish him], no one will be able to prevent that ruler [from doing those things].
causing a hypocrite to be king, because of the waywardness of the people.
31 “Job, have you or anyone else ever said to God, ‘I have been punished [for my sins], and I will not sin any more;
For [there is] one that says to the Mighty One, I have received [blessings]; I will not take a pledge:
32 so teach/show me what [sins I have committed]; if I have done anything that is evil, I will not do it any more’?
I will see apart from myself: do you show me if I have done unrighteousness; I will not do [so] any more.
33 [Job, ] you object to what God has done to you, but do you think that he will do what you want him to do? It is you who must choose [what you say to God], not I; so tell me what you are thinking about this.
Will he take vengeance for it on you, whereas you will put [it] far [from you]? for you shall choose, and not I; and what you know, speak you.
34 “People who have good sense, those who are wise and who listen to what I say, will say to me,
Because the wise in heart shall say this, and a wise man listens to my word.
35 ‘Job is speaking ignorantly; what he says is nonsense.’
But Job has not spoken with understanding, his words are not [uttered] with knowledge.
36 I think that Job should be taken to a court and (put on trial/judged), because he answers [us his friends] like wicked men would answer.
Howbeit do you learn, Job: no longer make answer as the foolish:
37 To add to the [other] sins that he has committed, he is rebelling [against God]; he shows us that he does not respect God [IDM], making long speeches [saying that God has punished him unjustly].”
that we add not to our sins: for iniquity will be reckoned against us, if [we] speak many words before the Lord.
