Job 34
1 And Elihu made answer and said,
Furthermore Elihu answered and said,
2 Give ear, you wise, to my words; and you who have knowledge, give attention to me;
Hear my words, O ye wise [men]; and give ear to 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 mouth tasteth food.
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 to us judgment: 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 judgment.
6 Though I am right, still I am in pain; my wound may not be made well, though I have done no wrong.
Should I lie against my right? my wound [is] incurable 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?
Who 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 to 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 he shall render to 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.
Yes, surely 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 hath given 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 should set his heart upon man, [if] he should gather to 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 would perish together, and man would turn again to 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 he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?
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] wicked? [and] to princes, [Ye are] ungodly?
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 accepteth 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 shall die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be 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 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 will not lay upon man more [than right]; that he should enter into judgment with God.
24 He sends the strong to destruction without searching out their cause, and puts others in their place.
He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.
25 For he has knowledge of their works, overturning them in the night, so that they are crushed.
Therefore he knoweth 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 back from him, and would not consider 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 cause the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.
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:
That the hypocrite may not reign, lest the people should be ensnared.
Surely it is meet to be said to 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 no more.
[Should it be] according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou shalt refuse, or whether thou shalt choose; and not I: therefore speak what thou knowest.
34 Men of knowledge, and all wise men, hearing me, will say,
Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken to me.
35 Job's words do not come from knowledge; they are not the fruit of wisdom.
Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words [were] without wisdom.
36 May Job be tested to the end, because his answers have been like those of evil men.
My desire [is that] Job may be tried to the end, because of [his] answers for 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 to his sin, he clappeth [his hands] among us, and multiplieth his words against God.
