Job 34
1 Moreover, Elihu continued to speak:
Moreover Elihu answered and said:
2 “Listen to my words, you wise men; hear me, you who have knowledge.
Hear my words, ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
3 For the ear tries words as the palate tastes food.
For the ear trieth words, as the palate tasteth food.
4 Let us choose for ourselves what is just: let us discover 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 has said, 'I am righteous, but God has taken away my rights.
For Job hath said: 'I am righteous, and God hath taken away my right;
6 Regardless of my rights, I am considered to be a liar. My wound is incurable, although I am without sin.'
Notwithstanding my right I am accounted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.'
7 What man is like Job, who drinks up mockery like water,
What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?
8 who goes around in the company of those who do evil, and who walks with wicked men?
Who goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.
9 For he has said, 'It is no use to a person to take pleasure in doing what God wants.'
For he hath said: 'It profiteth a man nothing that he should be in accord with God.'
10 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.
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 For he pays back a person's work; he makes every man come upon the reward of his own ways.
For the work of a man will He requite unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
12 Indeed, God does nothing wicked, nor does the Almighty ever pervert justice.
Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
13 Who put him in charge over the earth? Who put the whole world under him?
Who gave Him a charge over the earth? Or who hath disposed the whole world?
14 If he ever set his intentions only on himself, and if he ever gathered back to himself his spirit and his breath,
If He set His heart upon man, if He gather unto Himself his spirit and his breath;
15 then all flesh would perish together; mankind would return to dust again.
All flesh shall perish together, and man shall return unto dust.
16 If now you have understanding, listen to this; listen to the sound of my words.
If now thou hast understanding, hear this; hearken to the voice of my words.
17 Can one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn God, who is righteous and mighty?
Shall even one that hateth right govern? And wilt thou condemn Him that is just and mighty —
18 God, who says to a king, 'You are vile,' or says to nobles, 'You are wicked'?
Is it fit to say to a king: 'Thou art base'? Or to nobles: 'Ye are wicked'? —
19 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.
That respecteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? For they all are the work of His hands.
20 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.
In a moment they die, even at midnight; the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away without hand.
21 For God's eyes are upon a person's ways; he sees all his steps.
For His eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He seeth all his goings.
22 There is no darkness, no thick gloom where the doers of iniquity may hide themselves.
There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 For God does not need to examine a person further; there is no need for any person to go before him in judgment.
For He doth not appoint a time unto any man, when he should go before God in judgment.
24 He breaks mighty men into pieces for their ways that need no further investigation; he puts others in their places.
He breaketh in pieces mighty men without inquisition, and setteth others in their stead.
25 In this way he has knowledge of their deeds; he overthrows these people in the night; they are destroyed.
Therefore He taketh knowledge of their works; and He overturneth them in the night, so that they are crushed.
26 In the open sight of others, he kills them for their wicked deeds like criminals
He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;
27 because they turned away from following him and refused to acknowledge any of his ways.
Because they turned aside from following Him, and would not have regard to any of His ways;
28 In this way, they made the cry of poor people come to him; he heard the cry of afflicted people.
So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto Him, and He heareth the cry of the afflicted.
29 When he stays silent, who can condemn him? If he hides his face, who can perceive him? He rules over nation and individual alike,
When He giveth quietness, who then can condemn? And when He hideth His face, who then can behold Him? whether it be done unto a nation, or unto a man, alike;
30 so that a godless man may not rule, so that there may be no one to entrap people.
That the godless man reign not, that there be none to ensnare the people.
31 Suppose someone says to God, 'I am certainly guilty, but I will not sin any longer;
For hath any said unto God: 'I have borne chastisement, though I offend not;
32 teach me what I cannot see; I have committed sin, but I will do it no longer.'
That which I see not teach Thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more'?
33 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.
Shall His recompense be as thou wilt? For thou loathest it, so that thou must choose, and not I; therefore speak what thou knowest.
34 Men of understanding will say to me— indeed, every wise man who hears me will say,
Men of understanding will say unto me, yea, every wise man that heareth me:
35 'Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without wisdom.'
'Job speaketh without knowledge, and his words are without discernment.'
36 If only Job were put on trial in the smallest details of his case because of his talking like wicked men.
Would that Job were tried unto the end, because of his answering like wicked men.
37 For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands in mockery in our midst; he piles up words against God.”
For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.
