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 American Standard Bible
Elihu Vindicates God’s Justice
34 Then Elihu continued and said,
2 “Hear my words, you wise men,
And listen to me, you who understand.
3 For (A)the ear tests words
As the palate tastes food.
4 Let us choose for ourselves what is right;
Let us understand among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job has said, ‘(B)I am righteous,
But (C)God has taken away my right;
6 [a]Should I lie about my right?
My [b](D)wound is incurable, though I am without wrongdoing.’
7 What man is like Job,
Who (E)drinks up derision like water,
8 Who goes (F)in company with the workers of injustice,
And walks with wicked people?
9 For he has said, ‘(G)It is of no use to a man
When he becomes friends with God.’
10 “Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding.
Far be it from God to (H)do evil,
And from the Almighty to do wrong.
11 For He repays a person for (I)his work,
And lets things happen in correspondence to a man’s [c]behavior.
12 (J)God certainly will not act wickedly,
And the Almighty will not pervert justice.
13 Who (K)gave Him authority over the earth?
And who (L)has placed the whole world on Him?
14 If He were to [d]determine to do so,
If He were to (M)gather His [e]spirit and His breath to Himself,
15 [f](N)Humanity would perish together,
And mankind would (O)return to dust.
16 “But if you have understanding, hear this;
Listen to the sound of my words.
17 Shall (P)one who hates justice rule?
And (Q)will you condemn the righteous mighty One,
18 Who says to a king, ‘You worthless one,’
To nobles, ‘You wicked one’;
19 Who shows no (R)partiality to the prominent,
Nor regards the rich as above the poor,
Since they are all 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 powerful are taken away without a hand.
21 “For (V)His eyes are upon the ways of a person,
And He sees all his steps.
22 There is (W)no darkness or deep shadow
Where the workers of injustice can hide themselves.
23 For He does not (X)need to consider a person further,
That he should go before God in judgment.
24 He breaks in pieces the (Y)mighty without investigation,
And sets others in their place.
25 Therefore He (Z)knows their deeds,
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 regard for any of His ways,
28 So that they caused (AE)the cry of the poor to come to Him,
And that He would (AF)hear the cry of the afflicted—
29 When He keeps quiet, who can condemn?
And when He hides His face, who then can look at Him,
That is, regarding both nation and a person?—
30 So that (AG)godless people would not rule,
Nor be snares for the people.
31 “For has anyone said to God,
‘I have endured punishment;
I will not offend anymore;
32 Teach me what I do not see;
If I have (AH)done wrong,
I will not do it again’?
33 Shall God (AI)repay on your terms, because you have rejected His?
For you must choose, and not I;
Therefore declare what you know.
34 Men of understanding will say to me,
And a wise man who hears me,
35 ‘Job (AJ)speaks without knowledge,
And his words are without wisdom.
36 Oh that Job were tested [h]to the limit,
Because [i]he answers (AK)like sinners.
37 For he adds (AL)rebellion to his sin;
He (AM)claps his hands among us,
And multiplies his words against God.’”
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
