Job 34
1 And Elihu made answer and said,
Moreover Elihu answered and said,
2 Give ear, you wise, to my words; and you who have knowledge, give attention to me;
Hear my words, ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
3 For words are tested by the ear, as food is tasted by the mouth.
For the ear trieth words, as the palate tasteth meat.
4 Let us make the decision for ourselves as to what is right; let us have the knowledge among ourselves of 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 upright, and it is God who has taken away my right;
For Job hath said, I am righteous, and God hath taken away my right:
6 Though I am right, still I am in pain; my wound may not be made well, though I have done no wrong.
Notwithstanding my right I am [accounted] a liar; my wound is incurable, [though I am] without transgression.
7 What man is like Job, a man who freely makes sport of God,
What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?
8 And goes in the company of evil-doers, walking in the way of sinners?
Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.
9 For he has said, It is no profit to a man to take delight in God.
For he hath said, it profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.
10 Now then, you wise, take note; you men of knowledge, give ear to me. Let it be far from God to do evil, and from the Ruler of all to do wrong.
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 gives to every man the reward of his work, and sees that he gets the fruit of his ways.
For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.
12 Truly, God does not do evil, and the Ruler of all is not a false judge.
Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.
13 Who put the earth into his care, or made him responsible for the world?
Who gave him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?
14 If he made his spirit come back to him, taking his breath into himself again,
If he set his heart upon man, [if] he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
15 All flesh would come to an end together, and man would go back to the dust.
All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.
16 If you are wise, take note of this; give ear to the voice of my words.
If now [thou hast] understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words.
17 How may a hater of right be a ruler? and will you say that the upright Ruler of all is evil?
Shall even one that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is just [and] mighty?
18 He who says to a king, You are an evil-doer; and to rulers, You are sinners;
Is it [fit] to say to a king, [Thou art] vile? [or] to nobles, [Ye are] wicked?
19 Who has no respect for rulers, and who gives no more attention to those who have wealth than to the poor, for they are all the work of his hands.
[How much less to] him 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 Suddenly they come to an end, even in the middle of the night: the blow comes on the men of wealth, and they are gone, and the strong are taken away without the hand of man.
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 his eyes are on the ways of a man, and 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 dark place, and no thick cloud, in which the workers of evil may take cover.
There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 For he does not give man a fixed time to come before him to be judged.
For he needeth not further to consider a man, that he should go before God in judgment.
24 He sends the strong to destruction without searching out their cause, and puts others in their place.
He breaketh in pieces mighty men [in ways] past finding out, and setteth others in their stead.
25 For he has knowledge of their works, overturning them in the night, so that they are crushed.
Therefore he taketh knowledge of their works; and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
26 The evil-doers are broken by his wrath, he puts his hand on them with force before the eyes of all onlookers.
He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;
27 Because they did not go after him, and took no note of his ways,
Because they turned aside from following him, and would not have regard to any of his ways:
28 So that the cry of the poor might come up to him, and the prayer of those in need come to his ears.
So that they caused the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted.
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:
That the godless man reign not, that there be none to ensnare the people.
For hath any said unto God, I have borne [chastisement], I will not offend [any more]:
That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?
Shall his recompence be as thou wilt, that thou refusest it? for thou must choose, and not I: therefore speak what thou knowest.
34 Men of knowledge, and all wise men, hearing me, will say,
Men of understanding will say unto me, yea, every wise man that heareth me:
35 Job's words do not come from knowledge; they are not the fruit of wisdom.
Job speaketh without knowledge, and his words are without wisdom.
36 May Job be tested to the end, because his answers have been like those of evil men.
Would that Job were tried unto the end, because of his answering like wicked men.
37 For in addition to his sin, he is uncontrolled in heart; before our eyes he makes sport of God, increasing his words against him.
For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.
