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.”
Hiob 34
Schlachter 1951
Elihu verkündet die souveräne Gerechtigkeit
34 Und Elihu hob wieder an und sprach:
2 Höret, ihr Weisen, meine Worte,
und ihr Verständigen, merket auf mich!
3 Denn das Ohr prüft die Rede,
wie der Gaumen die Speise schmeckt.
4 Das Rechte wollen wir uns erwählen
und untereinander ausmachen, was gut ist.
5 Denn Hiob behauptet: „Ich bin gerecht,
aber Gott hat mir mein Recht entzogen.
6 Bei all meinem Recht werde ich zum Lügner gestempelt,
tödlich verwundet bin ich vom Pfeil - ohne Schuld!“
7 Wo ist ein Mann wie Hiob,
der Lästerung trinkt wie Wasser,
8 der so wie er in Gesellschaft der Übeltäter wandelt
und mit gottlosen Leuten umgeht?
9 Denn er hat gesagt: „Es nützt dem Menschen nichts,
wenn er mit Gott Freundschaft pflegt!“
10 Darum, ihr verständigen Männer, hört mir zu:
Fern sei es von Gott, sich Gewalttätigkeiten zu erlauben,
und von dem Allmächtigen, Unrecht zu tun;
11 sondern er bezahlt dem Menschen, wie er es verdient,
und läßt einem jeden widerfahren nach seinem Wandel.
12 Ja wahrlich, Gott tut kein Unrecht,
und der Allmächtige beugt das Recht nicht!
13 Wessen Obhut ist die Erde unterstellt,
und wer gibt acht auf die ganze Welt?
14 Wenn er nur noch auf sich selbst achtete
und seinen Geist und Odem wieder zu sich nähme,
15 so würde alles Fleisch miteinander vergehen
und der Mensch wieder zum Staube kehren.
16 Hast du nun Verstand, so höre dies
und merke auf die Stimme meiner Worte!
17 Könnte auch einer, der das Recht haßt, herrschen,
oder willst du den Gerechten, den Mächtigen, verdammen?
18 Darf man zum König sagen: Du Nichtsnutz!
und zu den Edlen: Ihr seid ungerecht?
19 wieviel weniger zu dem, der die Person der Fürsten nicht ansieht
und den Reichen nicht mehr achtet als den Armen;
denn sie sind alle seiner Hände Werk.
20 Plötzlich sterben sie,
mitten in der Nacht;
Völker wanken und gehen dahin,
und er beseitigt Tyrannen ohne Menschenhand.
21 Denn Gottes Augen sind auf die Wege eines jeden gerichtet,
und er sieht jeden Schritt, den einer macht.
22 Es gibt keine Finsternis und keinen Todesschatten,
wo die Übeltäter sich verbergen könnten.
23 Ja, er braucht den Menschen, der vor Gott zu Gerichte geht,
nicht erst noch zu untersuchen.
24 Er zerschmettert Gewaltige ohne Untersuchung
und setzt andere an deren Statt.
25 Weil er ihre Werke kennt,
darum kehrt er sie um über Nacht, und sie werden zermalmt.
26 Als Gottlose züchtigt er sie
vor aller Augen darum,
27 daß sie von ihm abgefallen sind
und keinen seiner Wege beachtet haben,
28 und weil des Armen Geschrei zu ihm gelangt ist
und er das Schreien der Unterdrückten erhört hat.
29 Wenn er Frieden gibt, wer will verdammen?
Wenn er aber sein Angesicht verbirgt, wer kann ihn schauen?
[So handelt er] sowohl über einem Volk, als auch über dem einzelnen Menschen,
30 damit nicht gottlose Menschen regieren
und das Volk in Fallstricke gerät.
31 Darf man zu Gott sagen:
Ich muß [Strafe] tragen und habe doch nichts verbrochen?
32 [Nein, sondern:] Was ich nicht sehe, lehre du mich,
und habe ich Unrecht getan, so will ich's nicht mehr tun!
33 Soll Er nach deinem Sinn Vergeltung üben,
weil du verwirfst? Denn du mußt wählen, und nicht ich;
was du weißt, das sage an!
34 Verständige Männer werden mir zustimmen
und jeder weise Mann, der mir zuhört:
35 Hiob redet wie ein Unwissender,
und seine Worte zeugen nicht von Verstand.
36 Möchte Hiob fort und fort geprüft werden,
weil er sich zu den gottlosen Leuten geschlagen hat!
37 Denn zu seiner Sünde fügt er Abfall hinzu,
er verhöhnt uns und redet viel wider Gott!
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Copyright © 1951 by Geneva Bible Society