Job 34
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
34 Elihu answered (continued his discourse) and said,
2 Hear my words, you wise men, and give ear to me, you who have [so much] knowledge.
3 For the ear tries words as the palate tastes food.
4 Let us choose for ourselves that which is right; let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job has said, I am [innocent and uncompromisingly] righteous, but God has taken away my right;(A)
6 Would I lie against my right? Yet, notwithstanding 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 and scorning 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 and consent to Him.
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 commit iniquity.
11 For according to the deeds of a man God will [exactly] proportion his pay, and He will cause every man to find [recompense] according to his ways.
12 Truly God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
13 Who put [God] in charge over the earth? Or who laid on Him the whole world?
14 If [God] should set His heart upon him [man] and withdraw His [life-giving] spirit and His breath [from man] to Himself,
15 All flesh would perish together, and man would turn again to dust.(B)
16 If now you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words.
17 Is it possible that an enemy of right should govern? And will you condemn Him Who is just and mighty?
18 [God] Who says to a king, You are worthless and vile, or to princes and nobles, You are ungodly and evil?
19 [God] is not partial to princes, nor does He regard 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, and the mighty are taken away by no [human] hand.
21 For [God’s] eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps.(C)
22 There is no darkness nor thick gloom where the evildoers may hide themselves.
23 [God] sets before man no appointed time, that he should appear before [Him] in judgment.
24 He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry [before a jury] and in ways past finding out and sets others in their stead.(D)
25 Therefore He takes knowledge of their works, and He overturns them in the night, so that they are crushed and destroyed.
26 God strikes them down as wicked men in the open sight of beholders,
27 Because they turned aside from Him and would not consider or show regard for any of His ways,(E)
28 So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him, and He heard the cry of the afflicted.(F)
29 When He gives quietness (peace and security from oppression), who then can condemn? When He hides His face [withdrawing His favor and help], who then can behold Him [and make Him gracious], whether it be a nation or a man by himself?—
30 That the godless man may not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people.
31 For has anyone said to God, I have borne my chastisement; I will not offend any more;
32 Teach me what I do not see [in regard to how I have sinned]; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?
33 Should [God’s] recompense [for your sins] be as you will it, when you refuse to accept it? For you must do the choosing, and not I; therefore say what is your truthful conclusion.
34 Men of understanding will tell me, indeed, every wise man who hears me [will agree],
35 That Job speaks without knowledge, and his words are without wisdom and insight.
36 [Would that Job’s afflictions be continued and] he be tried to the end because of his answering like wicked men!
37 For he adds rebellion [in his unsubmissive, defiant attitude toward God] to his unacknowledged sin; he claps his hands [in open mockery and contempt of God] among us, and he multiplies his words of accusation against God.
Job 34
Expanded Bible
34 Then Elihu answered:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men;
listen to me, you who know a lot.
3 The ear tests words
as the ·tongue [L palate] tastes food.
4 Let’s ·decide [choose] for ourselves what is ·right [just],
and let’s learn together what is good.
5 “Job says, ‘I am ·not guilty [right/righteous],
and God has ·refused me a fair trial [L turned justice away from me].
6 ·Instead of getting a fair trial [concerning my case],
I am ·called [considered] a liar.
·I have been seriously hurt [An arrow has given me an incurable wound; L My arrow is incurable],
even though I have not sinned.’
7 ·There is no other [L Who is a…?] man like Job;
he ·takes [or receives] ·insults [ridicule; scoffing] as if he were drinking water.
8 He ·keeps company [travels] with those who do evil
and ·spends time [L goes] with wicked men,
9 because he says, ‘It is no use
to try to please God.’
10 “So listen to me, you who ·can understand [or are sensible].
God can never do wrong!
It is impossible for the Almighty to do evil.
11 God pays people back for what they have done
and ·gives them what their actions deserve [L finds them out according to their ways].
12 Truly God will never do wrong;
the Almighty will never ·twist [pervert] ·what is right [justice].
13 ·No one [L Who…?] chose God to rule over the earth
or put him in charge of the whole world.
14 If God should ·decide [L set his mind/heart to himself]
to take away ·life [L spirit] and breath,
15 then ·everyone [L all flesh] would ·die [expire] together
and turn back into dust.
16 “If you can understand, hear this;
·listen to what I have to say [L give ear to my words].
17 Can anyone govern who hates what is right?
How can you ·blame God [L condemn one] who is both ·fair [righteous] and powerful?
18 ·God [L Who…?] is the one who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’
or to important people, ‘You are evil.’
19 He ·is not nicer to princes than other people [L shows no favoritism to princes],
nor ·kinder [L gives more recognition] to ·rich people [nobles] than poor people,
because he made them all with his own hands [Prov. 14:31; 17:5; 22:2].
20 They can die in a moment, in the middle of the night.
·They are struck down [L The people are shaken], and then they pass away;
powerful people ·die [are taken away] ·without help [or not by human hand].
21 “·God watches where people go [L His eyes are on the path of people];
he sees every step they take.
22 There is no dark place or deep shadow
where those who do evil can hide from him.
23 He does not set a time
for people to come before him for judging.
24 Without ·asking questions [investigation; inquiry], God breaks powerful people into pieces
and puts others in their place.
25 Because God knows what people do,
he ·defeats [overturns] them in the night, and they are crushed.
26 He ·punishes [slaps] them for the evil they do
so that everyone else can watch,
27 because they ·stopped [turned away from] following God
and did not care about any of his ways.
28 The cry of the poor comes to God;
he hears the cry of the ·needy [afflicted].
29 But if God keeps quiet, who can blame him?
If he hides his face, who among nations or people can see him?
30 He keeps the wicked from ruling
and from trapping others.
31 “But suppose someone says to God,
‘I ·am guilty, but [or have endured punishment, so] I will not sin anymore.
32 Teach me what I cannot see.
If I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’
33 So, Job, should God ·reward [or make peace with] you as you want
·when [or since] you refuse to change?
You must ·decide [choose], not I,
so tell me what you know.
34 “Those ·who understand [with sense] speak,
and the wise who hear me say,
35 ‘Job speaks without knowing what is true;
his words show he ·does not understand [has no insight].’
36 I wish Job would be ·tested completely [examined forever],
because he answered like an evil man!
37 Job now adds to his sin ·by turning against God [with transgression].
He ·claps his hands in protest [L claps among us; C clapping is a sign of protest or contempt],
speaking more and more against God.”
Job 34
New Living Translation
Elihu Accuses Job of Arrogance
34 Then Elihu said:
2 “Listen to me, you wise men.
Pay attention, you who have knowledge.
3 Job said, ‘The ear tests the words it hears
just as the mouth distinguishes between foods.’
4 So let us discern for ourselves what is right;
let us learn together what is good.
5 For Job also said, ‘I am innocent,
but God has taken away my rights.
6 I am innocent, but they call me a liar.
My suffering is incurable, though I have not sinned.’
7 “Tell me, has there ever been a man like Job,
with his thirst for irreverent talk?
8 He chooses evil people as companions.
He spends his time with wicked men.
9 He has even said, ‘Why waste time
trying to please God?’
10 “Listen to me, you who have understanding.
Everyone knows that God doesn’t sin!
The Almighty can do no wrong.
11 He repays people according to their deeds.
He treats people as they deserve.
12 Truly, God will not do wrong.
The Almighty will not twist justice.
13 Did someone else put the world in his care?
Who set the whole world in place?
14 If God were to take back his spirit
and withdraw his breath,
15 all life would cease,
and humanity would turn again to dust.
16 “Now listen to me if you are wise.
Pay attention to what I say.
17 Could God govern if he hated justice?
Are you going to condemn the almighty judge?
18 For he says to kings, ‘You are wicked,’
and to nobles, ‘You are unjust.’
19 He doesn’t care how great a person may be,
and he pays no more attention to the rich than to the poor.
He made them all.
20 In a moment they die.
In the middle of the night they pass away;
the mighty are removed without human hand.
21 “For God watches how people live;
he sees everything they do.
22 No darkness is thick enough
to hide the wicked from his eyes.
23 We don’t set the time
when we will come before God in judgment.
24 He brings the mighty to ruin without asking anyone,
and he sets up others in their place.
25 He knows what they do,
and in the night he overturns and destroys them.
26 He strikes them down because they are wicked,
doing it openly for all to see.
27 For they turned away from following him.
They have no respect for any of his ways.
28 They cause the poor to cry out, catching God’s attention.
He hears the cries of the needy.
29 But if he chooses to remain quiet,
who can criticize him?
When he hides his face, no one can find him,
whether an individual or a nation.
30 He prevents the godless from ruling
so they cannot be a snare to the people.
31 “Why don’t people say to God, ‘I have sinned,
but I will sin no more’?
32 Or ‘I don’t know what evil I have done—tell me.
If I have done wrong, I will stop at once’?
33 “Must God tailor his justice to your demands?
But you have rejected him!
The choice is yours, not mine.
Go ahead, share your wisdom with us.
34 After all, bright people will tell me,
and wise people will hear me say,
35 ‘Job speaks out of ignorance;
his words lack insight.’
36 Job, you deserve the maximum penalty
for the wicked way you have talked.
37 For you have added rebellion to your sin;
you show no respect,
and you speak many angry words against God.”
Job 34
The Voice
34 Job remained silent, so Elihu continued.
2 Elihu: Hear my words, you men of wisdom;
listen to me, learned ones:
3 Our ears are capable of testing wisdom of words
the way the roofs of our mouths are capable of tasting food.[a]
4 Let us form a council here then, and decide among us what is right;
let us come together to know what is good in all of this.
5 After all, Job has told us, “I am innocent,
but God has denied my right to a fair hearing.
6 Though I am right, should I lie and claim to be wrong? No.
Let me put it to you simply:
I am gravely wounded as by an arrow,
but I am innocent.”
7 What other man is comparable to Job?
He drinks disdain like water.
8 He is not like the one who runs with the workers of wickedness
and associates himself with evil people.
9 In fact he even suggests, “A person receives no benefit
from pleasing God.”
In his first speech to Job, Elihu has been a cowboy, brazenly calling Job out for his blasphemous words about God. He has not exactly condemned Job as a wicked man; he has condemned Job for his reaction to his suffering and to God. This is unprecedented behavior, since a younger man would never contradict an elder, especially in the presence of other elders. Possibly realizing how disrespectfully he has been acting, and certainly noticing that Job isn’t responding well to his arguments, Elihu begins this second speech with a new approach. He tries to gain the support of Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Maybe if other elders are on his side, Elihu can make Job understand that it is wrong to question God, the very Creator of justice.
10 Elihu: So, you men whose hearts have embraced wisdom, listen to me:
far be it from God to commit evil acts;
and from the Highest One[b] to engage in wrongdoing!
11 For He is like an employer
who pays workers according to what they have done;
He makes sure the rewards they receive match their conduct.
12 Oh, unimaginable thought—that God would cause evil!
The Highest One does not pervert justice!
13 Who designated Him as earth’s overseer?
Who placed Him in charge of the entire world?
14 If He made it His aim to do so,
if He recalled to Himself His spirit and His breath,
15 All living creatures would expire as one
and humankind would return to the dust from which He formed them.
16 If you are one of understanding, hear this!
Listen to what I am saying!
17 Can one who despises justice also govern?
And are you willing to render condemnation on the Righteous and Mighty One?
18 Is He not the One who says to the king, “You are worthless,”
and to the exalted nobility, “You are depraved.”
19 Is He not the One who refuses favoritism to royalty
and who will not put rich above poor?
After all, they are all the creations of His very own hands.
20 All of a sudden, in the middle of the night, people perish;
they are shaken, and then they pass away;
the strong and mighty, apart from any human hand, are taken.
21 For God’s eyes are on the paths people choose;
He surveys each of their steps.
22 There is no darkness, no gloomy shadow
in which wrongdoers may hide themselves from Him.
23 God does not need to scrutinize people further
or bring them before Him for judgment.
24 Without need of a lengthy investigation,
He breaks even the mighty into pieces,
and installs others to replace them.
25 And this is because He is already acquainted with their actions.
When the seemingly sudden midnight hour rolls over, they are crushed beneath it.
26 He strikes down people as if they were wicked—
front and center—a display for all to see
27 Simply because they turned from following Him,
because they no longer considered His ways.
28 As a result of their injustice,
the poor cried out to Him
And as you ought to know well,
He always hears the cries of the needy, of the oppressed peoples.
29 If God remains silent, who is fit to raise his voice against Him?
If He chooses to hide His face, who is able to see Him?
This goes for a nation or an individual;
all are the same.
30 A person estranged from God must be prevented from ruling over any nation
and from laying snares for the downfall of a people.
31 Has anyone then said to God,
“I have carried punishment,
but I will not offend again.
32 Teach me and fill in my blind spots,
and if I have done wrong, I will stop and do what is right.”
33 Is God obliged to reward you on your terms
for your personal revolt against Him?
You must decide that, not I.
Tell me, if you know what you believe,
34 People who comprehend such things,
wise folk who hear me say,
35 “Job speaks without knowledge;
his harangues are devoid of insight.”
36 May God try Job to the bitter end,
for he responds as the wicked do
37 And he keeps adding to his sins;
he claps his hands in rebellion in our very midst,
and he multiplies his offensive words against God.
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