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Job 34
EasyEnglish Bible
Job 34
EasyEnglish Bible
Elihu continues to speak[a]
34 Elihu continued speaking and he said this:
2 ‘You men who are so wise and who know so much,
listen to me.
Hear what I have to say.
3 You recognize nice food when you eat it.
So you should recognize the value of my words.
4 We should decide among ourselves what is right.
We should agree together what is good.
5 Job has said, “I am not guilty.
But God refuses to judge me in a fair way.
6 I am right,
but nobody believes me.
I have not done anything wrong,
but I am suffering
and I am near to death.”
7 There has never been a man like Job!
He laughs at God as easily as he drinks water.
8 He is a friend of wicked people,
and people who do evil things.
9 Job says, “If anyone tries to please God,
it does not help them at all.”
10 So listen to me, you men who understand so much.
Almighty God can never do anything that is wrong or wicked!
11 He judges people fairly
as he sees the things that they do.
He gives people what they deserve.
12 It is true! Almighty God does not do wicked things.
He never refuses to judge people in a fair way.
13 God's great power did not come from anyone else!
He himself has authority over the whole world.
14 God could decide to remove life from the world.
He could take back his spirit and his breath.
15 If he did that, everyone that is alive would die.
As humans, we would become dirt again.[b]
16 If you really understand things, Job, listen to me.
Hear what I have to say.
17 If God refused to do what is right,
he could not rule the world.
He is the powerful Judge who knows what is right.
But you say that he is guilty!
18 It is God who may say to a king, “You are useless!”
He may say to rulers, “You are wicked!”
19 God created everyone.
He is not more kind to important people
than he is to other people.
He does not help rich people
more than he helps poor people.
20 Anyone may die suddenly,
in the middle of the night.
God may shake them, so that they die.
He easily removes even the most powerful people.
21 He watches the way that each person lives.
He sees what they do every day.
22 People who do wicked things cannot hide themselves.
There is no place dark enough for them to hide from God.
23 God does not have to tell people when they must come to him,
so that he can judge them.
24 He destroys powerful people,
and he chooses other people to take their place.
He does not have to ask them anything.
25 He already knows the things that they have done.
In the night, he removes their power,
and he destroys them.
26 He punishes them
because they have done wicked things.
He does that where everyone can see.
27 Those powerful people have turned away from God.
They have not respected his commands.
28 They were cruel to poor people,
so that God saw what was happening.
God heard those poor people
when they called to him for help.
29 But if God decides to do nothing,
no one can say that he is wrong.
If he hides himself, no one can see him.
But he still rules over people and over nations.
30 God does not let men rule,
if they do not respect his ways.
He stops them from causing trouble to the people.
31 Someone could say to God, “I am guilty,
and I have received my punishment.
But I will not do any more wrong things.
32 Show me the sins that I have done
when I did not know about them.
If I have done wrong things,
I will not do them again.”
33 But you, Job, refuse to accept God's justice.
Do you expect God to do what you think is right?
But you must choose what you will say.
I cannot decide for you.
So tell us what you are thinking now.
34 Wise people will agree with me.
When they hear my words, they will say,
35 “Job speaks like a fool who knows nothing.
He only says useless things.”
36 Yes Job, you speak to us like a wicked person.
So you should continue to suffer for ever!
37 You have not only done wrong things,
you have also turned against God.
You have shown that you do not respect us.
You have said many things that insult God.’
Footnotes
- 34:1 Elihu speaks to Job's friends (verse 2), as well as to Job himself (verses 7 to 9). Then he says that God cannot do anything wrong (verse 12). God is powerful but he is always fair (verse 17). God knows everything (verses 21 to 23). Job has not said sorry to God. So Elihu says that God will not forgive him. None of these things helps Job to understand why bad things have happened to him.
- 34:15 See Genesis 2:7.
約伯記 34
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
約伯記 34
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
34 以利戶又說：
2 「各位智者，請聽我言；
明達之士，要側耳聽我的話。
3 因為耳朵辨別話語，
正如舌頭品嚐食物。
4 我們來鑒別何為正，
一起來認識何為善。
5 約伯曾說，『我是清白的，
上帝卻奪去我的公道。
6 我雖然有理，卻被認為是撒謊者；
我雖然無過，卻受到致命的創傷。』
7 有誰像約伯？
他肆意嘲諷，
8 與惡者為伍，
同壞人作伴。
9 因為他說，『人取悅上帝毫無益處。』
10 「所以明智的人啊，請聽我言，
上帝絕不會作惡，
全能者絕無不義。
11 祂按人所行的對待人，
照人所做的報應人。
12 上帝絕不會作惡，
全能者不會顛倒是非。
13 誰曾派祂治理大地，
讓祂掌管整個世界呢？
14 上帝若決定收回自己的靈和氣，
15 所有生靈將一同滅亡，
世人也將歸回塵土。
16 「你若明理，請聽我言，
側耳聽我說。
17 憎惡正義的豈可掌權？
你要譴責公義的大能者嗎？
18 祂可以稱君王為廢物，
稱權貴為惡徒。
19 祂不偏袒王侯，
也不輕貧重富，
因為他們都是祂親手造的。
20 他們夜間轉瞬死去，
百姓震顫，繼而消逝，
權貴也被剷除，非藉人手。
21 上帝鑒察世人的道路，
觀看他們的腳步。
22 沒有黑暗和陰影可供作惡者藏身。
23 祂不必再三察驗，
把人召到面前審判。
24 祂擊垮權貴無需審查，
另立他人取而代之。
25 祂知道他們的行為，
祂使他們在夜間傾覆、滅亡。
26 祂當眾擊打他們，
正如擊打惡人。
27 因為他們離棄祂，
無視祂的正道，
28 以致窮人的呼求傳到祂那裡，
祂也聽見了困苦者的呼求。
29 但祂若保持緘默，誰能定祂有罪？
祂若掩起臉來，誰能看得見祂？
個人和國家都靠祂垂顧，
30 以免不敬虔者做王，
禍國殃民。
31 「有誰對上帝說，
『我受了管教，不會再犯罪；
32 我不明白的事，求你指教我；
我若行了惡事，必不再行』？
33 難道因為你拒絕接受，
上帝就要迎合你的要求嗎？
要做抉擇的是你，而非我，
請說說你的高見。
34 明達的人和聽我發言的智者都會說，
35 『約伯所言毫無知識，
他的話沒有智慧。』
36 願約伯被試煉到底，
因為他的回答如惡人之言。
37 他的叛逆使他罪上加罪，
他在我們中間拍手譏笑，
用許多話褻瀆上帝。」
Job 34
New International Version
Job 34
New International Version
34 Then Elihu said:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men;
listen to me,(A) you men of learning.
3 For the ear tests words
as the tongue tastes food.(B)
4 Let us discern for ourselves what is right;(C)
let us learn together what is good.(D)
5 “Job says, ‘I am innocent,(E)
but God denies me justice.(F)
6 Although I am right,
I am considered a liar;(G)
although I am guiltless,(H)
his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’(I)
7 Is there anyone like Job,
who drinks scorn like water?(J)
8 He keeps company with evildoers;
he associates with the wicked.(K)
9 For he says, ‘There is no profit
in trying to please God.’(L)
10 “So listen to me,(M) you men of understanding.(N)
Far be it from God to do evil,(O)
from the Almighty to do wrong.(P)
11 He repays everyone for what they have done;(Q)
he brings on them what their conduct deserves.(R)
12 It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,(S)
that the Almighty would pervert justice.(T)
13 Who appointed(U) him over the earth?
Who put him in charge of the whole world?(V)
14 If it were his intention
and he withdrew his spirit[a](W) and breath,(X)
15 all humanity would perish(Y) together
and mankind would return to the dust.(Z)
16 “If you have understanding,(AA) hear this;
listen to what I say.(AB)
17 Can someone who hates justice govern?(AC)
Will you condemn the just and mighty One?(AD)
18 Is he not the One who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’
and to nobles,(AE) ‘You are wicked,’(AF)
19 who shows no partiality(AG) to princes
and does not favor the rich over the poor,(AH)
for they are all the work of his hands?(AI)
20 They die in an instant, in the middle of the night;(AJ)
the people are shaken and they pass away;
the mighty are removed without human hand.(AK)
21 “His eyes are on the ways of mortals;(AL)
he sees their every step.(AM)
22 There is no deep shadow,(AN) no utter darkness,(AO)
where evildoers can hide.(AP)
23 God has no need to examine people further,(AQ)
that they should come before him for judgment.(AR)
24 Without inquiry he shatters(AS) the mighty(AT)
and sets up others in their place.(AU)
25 Because he takes note of their deeds,(AV)
he overthrows them in the night(AW) and they are crushed.(AX)
26 He punishes them for their wickedness(AY)
where everyone can see them,
27 because they turned from following him(AZ)
and had no regard for any of his ways.(BA)
28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before him,
so that he heard the cry of the needy.(BB)
29 But if he remains silent,(BC) who can condemn him?(BD)
If he hides his face,(BE) who can see him?
Yet he is over individual and nation alike,(BF)
30 to keep the godless(BG) from ruling,(BH)
from laying snares for the people.(BI)
31 “Suppose someone says to God,
‘I am guilty(BJ) but will offend no more.
32 Teach me what I cannot see;(BK)
if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’(BL)
33 Should God then reward you on your terms,
when you refuse to repent?(BM)
You must decide, not I;
so tell me what you know.
34 “Men of understanding declare,
wise men who hear me say to me,
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge;(BN)
his words lack insight.’(BO)
36 Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost
for answering like a wicked man!(BP)
37 To his sin he adds rebellion;
scornfully he claps his hands(BQ) among us
and multiplies his words(BR) against God.”(BS)
Footnotes
- Job 34:14 Or Spirit
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