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Elihu Answers That God Will Be Just

34 Then Elihu answered and said,

“Hear my speech, you wise men,
And give ear to me, you who know.
For (A)the ear tests words
As the palate tastes food.
Let us choose for ourselves what is just;
Let us know among ourselves what is good.
For Job has said, ‘(B)I am righteous,
But (C)God has removed my justice;
[a]Should I lie concerning my justice?
My [b](D)wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
What man is like Job,
Who (E)drinks up mocking like water,
But he travels (F)in company with the workers of iniquity,
And walks with wicked men?
For he has said, ‘(G)It is of no use to a man
When he [c]is pleased with God.’

10 “Therefore, listen to me, you men with a heart of wisdom.
Far be it from God to (H)do injustice,
And from the Almighty to do wrong.
11 For He pays a man according to (I)his work,
And makes [d]him find it according to his way.
12 Truly, (J)God will not act wickedly,
And the Almighty will not pervert justice.
13 Who (K)appointed Him with authority over the earth?
And who (L)has laid on Him the whole world?
14 If He should set His heart on it,
If He should (M)gather to Himself His spirit and His breath,
15 All (N)flesh would breathe its last together,
And man would (O)return to dust.

16 “But if you have understanding, hear this;
Give ear to the sound of my speech.
17 Shall (P)one who hates justice [e]rule?
And (Q)will you condemn the righteous mighty One,
18 Who says to a king, ‘Vile one,’
To nobles, ‘Wicked ones’;
19 Who shows no (R)partiality to princes
Nor recognizes the rich above the poor,
For they all are the (S)work of His hands?
20 In a moment they die, and (T)at midnight
People are shaken and pass away,
And (U)the mighty are taken away without a hand.

21 “For (V)His eyes are upon the ways of a man,
And He sees all his steps.
22 There is (W)no darkness or shadow of death
Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 [f]For He does not (X)need to consider a man further,
That he should go before God in judgment.
24 He breaks in pieces (Y)mighty men without searching anything out,
And sets others in their place.
25 Therefore He (Z)recognizes their labors,
And (AA)He overthrows them in the night,
And they are crushed.
26 He (AB)strikes them like the wicked
[g]In a public place,
27 Because they (AC)turned aside from following Him,
And (AD)had no insight from any of His ways;
28 So that they caused (AE)the cry of the poor to come to Him,
And that He might (AF)hear the cry of the afflicted.
29 So if He keeps quiet, who then can condemn?
So if He hides His face, who then can perceive Him?
He is above both nation and man altogether,
30 So that (AG)godless men would not rule
Nor be snares of the people.

31 “For has anyone said to God,
‘I have borne chastisement;
I will not work destructively anymore;
32 Instruct me what I do not behold;
If I have (AH)done injustice,
I will not do it again’?
33 Shall He (AI)repay on your terms, because you have rejected it?
For you must choose, and not I;
Therefore say what you know.
34 Men with a heart of wisdom will say to me,
And a wise man who hears me,
35 ‘Job (AJ)speaks without knowledge,
And his words are without insight.
36 Job ought to be tested [h]to the limit
Because he answers (AK)like wicked men.
37 For he adds (AL)transgression to his sin;
He (AM)strikes his hands together among us,
And multiplies his words against God.’”

Footnotes

  1. Job 34:6 Or Although I am right I am accounted a liar
  2. Job 34:6 Lit arrow
  3. Job 34:9 Or takes delight in God
  4. Job 34:11 Lit a man
  5. Job 34:17 Lit bind
  6. Job 34:23 Or For he does not set upon man the time to go to God in the judgment
  7. Job 34:26 Lit In the place of the ones seeing
  8. Job 34:36 Or to the end

34 Furthermore Elihu answered and said,

Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.

For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.

Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.

For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.

Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable without transgression.

What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?

Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.

For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.

10 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 the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.

12 Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.

13 Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?

14 If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;

15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

16 If now thou hast understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words.

17 Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?

18 Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?

19 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 In a moment shall they 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 upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.

22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

23 For he will not lay upon man more than right; that he should enter into judgment with God.

24 He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.

25 Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

26 He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;

27 Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways:

28 So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.

29 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:

30 That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.

31 Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:

32 That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.

33 Should it be according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I: therefore speak what thou knowest.

34 Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto me.

35 Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom.

36 My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men.

37 For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.