Job 34

Elihu Asserts God's Justice

1 Then Elihu answered and said:

2  "Hear my words, you wise men,
and give ear to me, you who know;
3  for the ear tests words
as the palate tastes food.
4  Let us choose what is right;
let us know among ourselves what is good.
5  For Job has said, 'I am in the right,
and God has taken away my right;
6  in spite of my right I am counted a liar;
my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.'
7  What man is like Job,
who drinks up scoffing like water,
8  who travels in company with evildoers
and walks with wicked men?
9  For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing
that he should take delight in God.'

10  "Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding:
far be it from God that he should do wickedness,
and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.
11  For according to the work of a man he will repay him,
and according to his ways he will make it befall him.
12  Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,
and the Almighty will not pervert justice.
13  Who gave him charge over the earth,
and who laid on himt the whole world?
14  If he should set his heart to it
and gather to himself his spirit and his breath,
15  all flesh would perish together,
and man would return to dust.

16  "If you have understanding, hear this;
listen to what I say.
17  Shall one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18  who says to a king, 'Worthless one,'
and to nobles, 'Wicked man,'
19  who shows no partiality to princes,
nor regards the rich more than the poor,
for they are all the work of his hands?
20  In a moment they die;
at midnight the people are shaken and pass away,
and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.

21  "For his eyes are on the ways of a man,
and he sees all his steps.
22  There is no gloom or deep darkness
where evildoers may hide themselves.
23  For Godt has no need to consider a man further,
that he should go before God in judgment.
24  He shatters the mighty without investigation
and sets others in their place.
25  Thus, knowing their works,
he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
26  He strikes them for their wickedness
in a place for all to see,
27  because they turned aside from following him
and had no regard for any of his ways,
28  so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him,
and he heard the cry of the afflicted—
29  When he is quiet, who can condemn?
When he hides his face, who can behold him,
whether it be a nation or a man?—
30  that a godless man should not reign,
that he should not ensnare the people.

31  "For has anyone said to God,
'I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more;
32  teach me what I do not see;
if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more'?
33  Will he then make repayment to suit you,
because you reject it?
For you must choose, and not I;
therefore declare what you know.t
34  Men of understanding will say to me,
and the wise man who hears me will say:
35  'Job speaks without knowledge;
his words are without insight.'
36  Would that Job were tried to the end,
because he answers like wicked men.
37  For he adds rebellion to his sin;
he claps his hands among us
and multiplies his words against God."

Job 34

Elihu’s Second Speech

1 Elihu answered:

2 “Listen to my words, you wise men;
heart me, you learned men.t

3 For the ear assessest words
as the moutht tastes food.

4 Let us evaluates for ourselves what is right;t
let us come to know among ourselves what is good.

5 For Job says, ‘I am innocent,t
but God turns away my right.

6 Concerning my right, should I lie?t
My woundt is incurable,
although I am without transgression.’t

7 What man is like Job,
whot drinks derisiont like water!

8 He goes aboutt in companyt with evildoers,
he goes alongt with wicked men.t

9 For he says, ‘It does not profit a man
when he makes his delight with God.’t

God is Not Unjust

10 “Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding.t
Far be it fromt God to do wickedness,
from the Almighty to do evil.

11 For he repays a person for his work,t
and according to the conduct of a person,
he causes the consequences to find him.t

12 Indeed, in truth, God does not act wickedly,
and the Almighty does not pervert justice.

13 Who entrustedt to him the earth?
And who put him overt the whole world?

14 If Godt were to set his heart on it,s
and gather in his spirit and his breath,

15 all flesh would perish together
and human beings would return to dust.

God Is Impartial and Omniscient

16 “If you havet understanding, listen to this,
hear what I have to say.t

17 Do you really thinkt
that one who hates justice can govern?t
And will you declare guilty
the supremely righteoust One,

18 who says to a king,s ‘Worthless man’t
and to nobles, ‘Wicked men,’

19 who shows no partiality to princes,
and does not take note oft the rich more than the poor,
because all of them are the work of his hands?

20 In a moment they die, in the middle of the night,t
peoplet are shakent and they pass away.
The mighty are removed effortlessly.t

21 For his eyes are on the ways of an individual,
he observes all a person’st steps.

22 There is no darkness, and no deep darkness,
where evildoers can hide themselves.t

23 For he does not still consider a person,t
that he should come before God in judgment.

24 He shatters the great without inquiry,t
and sets up others in their place.

25 Therefore, he knows their deeds,
he overthrows themt in the nightt
and they are crushed.

26 He strikes them for their wickedness,t
in a place where people can see,t

27 because they have turned away from following him,
and have not understoodt any of his ways,

28 so that they causedt the cry of the poor
to come before him,
so that he hearst the cry of the needy.

29 But if Godt is quiet, who can condemnt him?
If he hides his face, then who can see him?
Yett he is over the individual and the nation alike,t

30 so that the godless man should not rule,
and not lay snares for the people.t

Job Is Foolish to Rebel

31 “Has anyone said to God,
‘I have endured chastisement,t
but I will not act wrongly any more.

32 Teach me what I cannot see.t
If I have done evil, I will do so no more.’

33 Is it your opiniont that Godt should recompense it,
because you reject this?t
But you must choose, and not I,
so tell us what you know.

34 Men of understanding say to me –
any wise man listening to me says –

35 thatt Job speaks without knowledge
and his words are without understanding.t

36 Buts Job will be tested to the end,
because his answers are like those of wicked men.

37 For he adds transgressiont to his sin;
in our midst he claps his hands,s
and multiplies his words against God.”