Job 34
Segond 21
La justice souveraine
34 Elihu reprit:
2 «Sages, écoutez mes propos!
Vous qui êtes des connaisseurs, prêtez l'oreille à ce que je vais dire!
3 En effet, l'oreille jauge les propos
tout comme le palais goûte les aliments.
4 Choisissons pour nous ce qui est juste,
sachons reconnaître entre nous ce qui est bon!
5 »Job dit en effet: ‘Je suis juste
et Dieu me refuse justice.
6 Alors que j'ai raison, je passe pour un menteur.
Ma blessure est incurable alors que je n’ai pas commis de transgression.’
7 »Y a-t-il un homme tel que Job,
qui boive l’insolence comme l'eau,
8 qui marche en compagnie de ceux qui commettent l’injustice,
qui fasse route avec les hommes méchants?
9 En effet, il a dit: ‘L'homme ne gagne rien
à mettre son plaisir en Dieu.’
10 »Ecoutez-moi donc, hommes de bon sens!
Dieu n’a rien à voir avec la méchanceté,
le Tout-Puissant n’a rien à voir avec l’injustice.
11 Il paie à l'homme le salaire de ses actes,
il traite chacun en fonction de sa conduite.
12 En vérité, Dieu ne commet pas le mal,
le Tout-Puissant ne fausse pas le droit.
13 »Qui l'a chargé de gouverner la terre?
Qui a confié le monde entier à ses soins?
14 S'il ne pensait qu'à lui-même,
s'il reprenait son esprit et son souffle,
15 toute créature expirerait d’un seul coup
et l'homme retournerait à la poussière.
16 »Si tu as de l'intelligence, écoute ceci,
prête l'oreille au son de mes paroles!
17 Celui qui déteste le droit pourrait-il vraiment régner?
Condamnerais-tu le juste, le puissant?
18 Dit-on aux rois: ‘Vous êtes des vauriens’
et aux princes: ‘Vous êtes des crapules’?
19 Lui, il ne favorise pas les chefs
et ne privilégie pas le riche face au pauvre,
parce que tous sont l'œuvre de ses mains.
20 En un instant, ils meurent.
Au milieu de la nuit, un peuple est ébranlé et disparaît,
le tyran est écarté sans aucune intervention humaine.
21 »En effet, Dieu est attentif à la conduite de l’homme,
il voit tous ses pas.
22 Il n'y a ni ténèbres ni ombre de la mort
assez obscures pour cacher ceux qui commettent l’injustice.
23 Dieu n'a pas besoin d'observer longtemps un homme
pour le faire entrer en jugement avec lui.
24 Il brise les grands sans avoir à faire d’enquête
et il les remplace par d’autres,
25 car il connaît leur manière d’agir.
En une nuit il les renverse et ils sont écrasés,
26 il les frappe comme des criminels,
en public. 27 C’est parce qu’ils se sont détournés de lui,
parce qu’ils n’ont pas prêté attention à toutes ses voies.
28 Ils ont fait monter vers lui le cri du faible,
or il entend le cri des plus humbles.
29 »S'il choisit la tranquillité, qui prononcera une condamnation?
S'il cache son visage, qui pourra le voir?
Il domine sur les nations aussi bien que sur les individus
30 pour empêcher l'homme impie de régner
et d’être un piège pour le peuple.
31 En effet, a-t-il déjà dit à Dieu:
‘J'ai supporté les conséquences de ma faute, je cesserai de faire le mal.
32 Montre-moi toi-même ce que je ne vois pas encore:
si j'ai commis des injustices, je n'en commettrai plus’?
33 »Est-ce d'après toi que Dieu rendra justice,
alors que tu fais preuve de mépris? C’est à toi de choisir, pas à moi.
Ce que tu sais, dis-le donc!
34 Les hommes de bon sens
ainsi que les sages qui m'écoutent me diront:
35 ‘Job parle sans rien savoir
et ses paroles manquent de discernement.
36 Que Job soit donc mis à l’épreuve jusqu’au bout,
puisqu'il répond comme le feraient des hommes adonnés au mal!
37 En effet, il ajoute la révolte à son péché;
il sème le doute au milieu de nous
et il multiplie ses paroles contre Dieu.’»
Job 34
King James Version
34 Furthermore Elihu answered and said,
2 Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
3 For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.
4 Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.
6 Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable without transgression.
7 What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?
8 Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.
9 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.
Job 34
English Standard Version
Elihu Asserts God's Justice
34 Then Elihu answered and said:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men,
and give ear to me, you who know;
3 for (A)the ear tests words
as the palate tastes food.
4 Let us choose (B)what is right;
let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job has said, ‘I am (C)in the right,
and (D)God has taken away my right;
6 in spite of my right I am counted a liar;
my wound is incurable, though I am (E)without transgression.’
7 What man is like Job,
who (F)drinks up scoffing like water,
8 who travels in company with evildoers
and walks (G)with wicked men?
9 For (H)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 (I)do wickedness,
and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.
11 For according to (J)the work of a man he will repay him,
and (K)according to his ways he will make it befall him.
12 Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,
and (L)the Almighty will not pervert justice.
13 Who gave him charge over the earth,
and who (M)laid on him[a] the whole world?
14 If he should (N)set his heart to it
and (O)gather to himself his (P)spirit and his breath,
15 all flesh would perish together,
and man would (Q)return to dust.
16 “If you have understanding, hear this;
listen to what I say.
17 (R)Shall one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18 who (S)says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’
and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’
19 who (T)shows no partiality to princes,
nor regards the rich (U)more than the poor,
for (V)they are all the work of his hands?
20 In a moment (W)they die;
at (X)midnight the people are shaken and pass away,
and the mighty are taken away by (Y)no human hand.
21 “For his eyes are on (Z)the ways of a man,
and he sees all his (AA)steps.
22 There is no (AB)gloom or (AC)deep darkness
where evildoers may hide themselves.
23 For God[b] has no need to consider a man further,
that he should go before God in (AD)judgment.
24 He (AE)shatters the mighty without investigation
and sets (AF)others in their place.
25 Thus, knowing their works,
he (AG)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 (AH)following him
and had no regard for any of his ways,
28 so that they (AI)caused the cry of the poor to come to him,
and he (AJ)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 (AK)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 (AL)declare what you know.[c]
34 Men of understanding will say to me,
and the wise man who hears me will say:
35 ‘Job (AM)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 (AN)claps his hands among us
and multiplies his words against God.”
Version Segond 21 Copyright © 2007 Société Biblique de Genève by Société Biblique de Genève
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
