Job 34
Living Bible
34 Elihu continued:
2 “Listen to me, you wise men. 3 We can choose the sounds we want to listen to; we can choose the taste we want in food, 4 and we should choose to follow what is right. But first of all we must define among ourselves what is good. 5 For Job has said, ‘I am innocent, but God says I’m not. 6 I am called a liar, even though I am innocent. I am horribly punished, even though I have not sinned.’
7-8 “Who else is as arrogant as Job? He must have spent much time with evil men, 9 for he said, ‘Why waste time trying to please God?’
10 “Listen to me, you with understanding. Surely everyone knows that God doesn’t sin! 11 Rather, he punishes the sinners. 12 There is no truer statement than this: God is never wicked or unjust. 13 He alone has authority over the earth and dispenses justice for the world. 14 If God were to withdraw his Spirit, 15 all life would disappear and mankind would turn again to dust.
16 “Listen now and try to understand. 17 Could God govern if he hated justice? Are you going to condemn the Almighty Judge? 18 Are you going to condemn this God who says to kings and nobles, ‘You are wicked and unjust’? 19 For he doesn’t care how great a man may be, and doesn’t pay any more attention to the rich than to the poor. He made them all. 20 In a moment they die, and at midnight great and small shall suddenly pass away, removed by no human hand.
21 “For God carefully watches the goings on of all mankind; he sees them all. 22 No darkness is thick enough to hide evil men from his eyes, 23 so there is no need to wait for some great crime before a man is called before God in judgment. 24 Without making a big issue over it, God simply shatters the greatest of men and puts others in their places. 25 He watches what they do and in a single night he overturns them, destroying them, 26 or openly strikes them down as wicked men. 27 For they turned aside from following him, 28 causing the cry of the poor to come to the attention of God. Yes, he hears the cries of those being oppressed. 29-30 Yet when he chooses not to speak, who can criticize? Again, he may prevent a vile man from ruling, thus saving a nation from ruin, and he can depose an entire nation just as easily.
31 “Why don’t people exclaim to their God, ‘We have sinned, but we will stop,’ 32 or ‘We know not what evil we have done; only tell us, and we will cease at once’?
33 “Must God tailor his justice to your demands? Must he change the order of the universe to suit your whims? The answer must be obvious even to you! 34-35 Anyone even half bright will agree with me that you, Job, are speaking like a fool. 36 You should be given the maximum penalty for the wicked way you have talked about God. 37 For now you have added rebellion, arrogance, and blasphemy to your other sins.”
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.”
Job 34
Reina Valera Revisada
Eliú justifica a Dios
34 Además Eliú dijo:
2 Oíd, sabios, mis palabras;
Y vosotros, doctos, estadme atentos.
3 Porque el oído discierne las palabras,
Como el paladar gusta lo que uno come.
4 Escojamos para nosotros lo que es justo,
Y reconozcamos entre nosotros lo que es bueno.
5 Porque Job ha dicho: Yo soy justo,
Y Dios me ha negado mi derecho.
6 ¿Se me ha de tener por mentiroso teniendo yo razón?
Dolorosa es mi herida sin haber hecho yo transgresión.
7 ¿Qué hombre hay como Job,
Que se bebe la insolencia como agua,
8 Y va en compañía de los que hacen iniquidad,
Y anda con los hombres malos?
9 Porque ha dicho: De nada servirá al hombre
El tratar de agradar a Dios.
10 Por tanto, varones de inteligencia, oídme:
Lejos está de Dios la impiedad,
Y del Omnipotente la iniquidad.
11 Porque él pagará al hombre según su obra,
Y le retribuirá conforme a su camino.
12 Sí, por cierto, Dios no hará injusticia,
Y el Omnipotente no pervertirá el derecho.
13 ¿Quién le ha encomendado a él la tierra?
¿Y quién puso en orden todo el mundo?
14 Si él retirase del hombre su atención,
Y recogiese así su espíritu y su aliento,
15 Toda carne perecería juntamente,
Y el género humano volvería al polvo.
16 Si, pues, hay en ti entendimiento, oye esto;
Escucha el son de mis palabras.
17 ¿Gobernará el que aborrece el derecho?
¿Y condenarás tú al que es tan justo?
18 ¿Se dirá al rey: Perverso;
Y a los príncipes: Impíos?
19 ¿Cuánto menos a aquel que no hace acepción de personas de potentados,
Ni favorece más al rico que al pobre,
Porque todos son obra de sus manos?
20 De improviso morirán,
Y a medianoche se alborotarán los pueblos, y pasarán,
Y sin mano de hombre será quitado el poderoso.
21 Porque los ojos de Dios vigilan sobre los caminos del hombre,
Y ve todos sus pasos.
22 No hay tinieblas ni sombra de muerte
Donde se escondan los que hacen maldad.
23 No apremia, pues, él al hombre más de lo justo,
Para que vaya con Dios a juicio.
24 Él quebrantará a los fuertes sin indagación,
Y nombrará a otros en su lugar.
25 Por tanto, él hará notorias las obras de ellos,
Cuando los trastorne en la noche, y sean quebrantados.
26 Como a malos los herirá
En lugar donde sean vistos;
27 Por cuanto así se apartaron de él,
Y no consideraron ninguno de sus caminos,
28 Haciendo venir delante de él el clamor del pobre,
Y el clamor de los necesitados, que él siempre oye.
29 Si él da reposo, ¿quién inquietará?
Si esconde su rostro, ¿quién lo podrá ver?
Vela sobre una nación, lo mismo que sobre cada individuo;
30 Haciendo que no reine el hombre impío,
Ni enrede en sus mallas al pueblo.
31 De seguro que si alguien dice a Dios:
He llevado ya castigo, no ofenderé ya más;
32 Enséñame tú lo que yo no veo;
Si hice mal, no lo haré más.
33 ¿Acaso ha de retribuir conforme a lo que tú le dictes?
Él te retribuirá, ora rehúses, ora aceptes, y no yo;
Di, si no, lo que tú sabes.
34 Los hombres inteligentes dirán conmigo,
Y todo hombre sabio que me oiga:
35 Que Job no habla con sabiduría,
Y que sus palabras no son con entendimiento.
36 Deseo yo que Job sea examinado a fondo,
A causa de sus respuestas semejantes a las de los hombres inicuos.
37 Porque a su pecado añadió rebeldía;
En medio de nosotros habla con mucha insolencia,
Y contra Dios multiplica sus palabras.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Texto bíblico tomado de La Santa Biblia, Reina Valera Revisada® RVR® Copyright © 2017 por HarperCollins Christian Publishing® Usado con permiso. Reservados todos los derechos en todo el mundo.
