Job 34
1 Then Elihu continued:
Furthermore Elihu answered 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 my words, O ye wise [men; ] and give ear unto me, ye 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 trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.
4 We need to decide [who is saying] what is right and to determine among ourselves what is good/best.
Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what [is] good.
5 Job has said, ‘I am innocent, but God has refused to judge me fairly/justly.
For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.
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.’
Should I lie against my right? my wound [is] incurable without transgression.
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] like Job, [who] drinketh up scorning like water?
8 He habitually associates with people who do what is evil and spends time with wicked people.
Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.
9 He has said, ‘It is useless for people to try to please God.’
For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.
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 hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, [that he should do] wickedness; and [from] the Almighty, [that he should commit] iniquity.
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.
For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to [his] ways.
12 Truly, Almighty God never does what is wicked; he always [LIT] does what is fair/just.
Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.
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].
Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?
14 If he would take his spirit back to himself,
If he set his heart upon man, [if] he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
15 everyone would die [immediately], and their corpses would soon become dirt again.
All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.
16 “So, [Job], if [you say that you] understand everything, listen to what I am saying.
If now [thou hast] understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my 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]?
Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?
18 He tells [some] kings that they are worthless, and he says to [some] officials that they are wicked.
[Is it fit] to say to a king, [Thou art] wicked? [and] to princes, [Ye are] ungodly?
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.
[How much less to him] that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all [are] the work of his hands.
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].
In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand.
21 “He sees [MTY] everything that people do; [when we walk, ] he watches every step that we take.
For his eyes [are] upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.
22 There is no gloom or darkness [DOU] that is so dark that sinners can hide [from him] in that darkness.
[There is] no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may 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 man more [than right; ] that he should enter into judgment with God.
24 He destroys mighty people without [needing to] investigate [what they have done], and he appoints others to take their places.
He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.
25 Because he [already] knows what they have done, he removes them at night and gets rid of them.
Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth [them] in the night, so that they are destroyed.
26 Where [many] people can see it, he strikes/punishes them because of the wicked things that they have done;
He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;
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 back from him, and would not consider any of his ways:
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 that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.
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,
When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth [his] face, who then can behold him? whether [it be done] against a nation, or against a man only:
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].
That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.
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;
Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne [chastisement], I will not offend [any more: ]
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’?
[That which] I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no 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.
[Should it be] according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I: therefore speak what thou knowest.
34 “People who have good sense, those who are wise and who listen to what I say, will say to me,
Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto me.
35 ‘Job is speaking ignorantly; what he says is nonsense.’
Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words [were] without wisdom.
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.
My desire [is that] Job may be tried unto the end because of [his] answers for wicked men.
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].”
For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth [his hands] among us, and multiplieth his words against God.
