34
1 Moreover Elihu
answered,
2 “Hear
my words, you
wise men.
Give ear to
me, you who
have knowledge.
3 For
the ear tries words,
as the palate
tastes food.
4 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,
God has taken
away my right.
6 Notwithstanding
my right I am
considered a liar.
My wound
is incurable, though I am
without disobedience.’
7 What
man is like Job,
who drinks scorn
like water,
8 who goes in
company with the
workers of
iniquity,
and walks with
wicked men?
9 For
he has said, ‘It
profits a man
nothing
that he should
delight himself
with God.’
10 “Therefore
listen to me,
you men of
understanding:
far be it
from God, that
he should do
wickedness,
from the Almighty,
that he should commit
iniquity.
11 For
the work of
a man he will
render to him,
and cause every man
to find according
to his ways.
12 Yes surely,
God will not
do wickedly,
neither will the
Almighty pervert
justice.
13 Who
put him in
charge of
the earth?
Or who has
appointed him over
the whole world?
14 If
he set his
heart on himself,
if he gathered to
himself his spirit
and his breath,
15 all
flesh would perish
together,
and man would
turn again to
dust.
16 “If now
you have
understanding, hear
this.
Listen to the
voice of my
words.
17 Should even
one who hates
justice govern?
Will you condemn
him who is
righteous and
mighty,
18 who says
to a king, ‘Vile!’
or to nobles, ‘Wicked!’?
19 He doesn’t
respect the
persons of princes,
nor respect the
rich more than
the poor,
for they all
are the work
of his hands.
20 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.
He sees all
his goings.
22 There
is no darkness, nor
thick gloom,
where the workers
of iniquity may hide
themselves.
23 For
he doesn’t need to
consider a man
further,
that he should
go before God
in judgment.
24 He
breaks mighty men
in pieces in ways
past finding out,
and sets others
in their place.
25 Therefore
he takes knowledge
of their works.
He overturns them
in the night,
so that they
are destroyed.
26 He
strikes them as
wicked men
in the open
sight of others;
27 because
they turned away
from following him,
and wouldn’t pay attention
to any of
his ways,
28 so
that they caused
the cry of
the poor to come
to him.
He heard the
cry of the
afflicted.
29 When
he gives quietness,
who then can
condemn?
When he hides
his face, who then
can see him?
He is over
a nation or
a man alike,
30 that
the godless man
may not reign,
that there be no
one to ensnare the
people.
31 “For
has any said to
God,
‘I am guilty, but
I will not
offend any more.
32 Teach
me that which
I don’t see.
If I have done
iniquity, I will
do it no
more’?
33 Shall
his recompense be
as you desire,
that you refuse
it?
For you
must choose, and
not I.
Therefore speak
what you know.
34 Men
of understanding
will tell me,
yes, every wise man
who hears me:
35 ‘Job
speaks without
knowledge.
His words are
without wisdom.’
36 I wish
that Job were tried
to the end,
because of
his answering like wicked men.
37 For
he adds rebellion
to his sin.
He claps his hands
among us,
and multiplies
his words against God.”