Job 34

¹After proclaiming these things, Eliu now had this to say:

²May the wise hear my words, and may the educated listen to me.

³For the ear examines words, and the mouth discerns foods by the taste.

⁴Let us choose judgment for ourselves, and let us consider among ourselves what is best.

⁵For Job has said: “I am just, yet God has subverted my judgment.

⁶For, within my judgment, there is a lie: my vehement barbs are without any sin.”

⁷What man is there that is like Job, who drinks up derision as if it were water,

⁸who accompanies those who work iniquity, and who walks with impious men?

⁹For he has said, “Man will not please God, even if he should travel with him.”

¹⁰Therefore, prudent men, hear me: impiety is far from God, and iniquity is far from the Almighty.

¹¹For he will restore to man his works, and according to the ways of each, he will repay them.

¹²For truly, God will not condemn in vain, nor will the Almighty repudiate judgment.

¹³What other is established over the earth? Or whom has he placed over the world, which he made?

¹⁴But, if he directs his heart towards him, he will draw his spirit and breath to himself.

¹⁵All flesh will fail together, and man will return to ashes.

¹⁶Therefore, if you have understanding, hear what is said, and heed the sound of my eloquence.

¹⁷Is he that does not love judgment able to be corrected? And how can you so greatly condemn him who is just?

¹⁸He says to the king, “You are an apostate.” He calls commanders impious.

¹⁹He does not accept the reputation of leaders; nor does he recognize the tyrant as he contends against the poor. For all are the work of his hands.

²⁰They will die suddenly, and the people will be troubled in the middle of the night, but they will pass through it, and the violent will be taken away without a hand.

²¹For his eyes are upon the ways of men, and he examines all of their steps.

²²There is no darkness and no shadow of death, where those who work iniquity may be hidden.

²³For it is no longer within the power of man to enter into judgment with God.

²⁴He will break into many innumerable pieces, and he will cause others to stand up in their place.

²⁵For he knows their works, and, as a result, he will bring the night, and they will be crushed.

²⁶Just as the impious do, he has struck them in a place where they can be seen.

²⁷They, as if with great diligence, have withdrawn from him, and they refused to understand all his ways,

²⁸so that they caused the outcry of the needy to reach him, and he heard the voice of the poor.

²⁹For, when he grants peace, who is there that can condemn? When he hides his face, who is there that can contemplate him, either among the nations, or among all men?

³⁰He causes a hypocritical man to reign because of the sins of the people.

³¹Therefore, since I have been speaking about God, I will not prevent you from doing the same.

³²If I have erred, you may teach me; if I have spoken unfairly, I will add no more.

³³Does God require this of you because it is displeasing to you? For you were the first to speak, and not I. But if you know something better, speak.

³⁴Let men of understanding speak to me, and let a wise man listen to me.

³⁵But Job has been speaking foolishly, and his words contain unsound teaching.

³⁶My father, let Job be tested even to the end; may you not retreat from a man of iniquity.

³⁷For he adds blasphemy on top of his sins; nevertheless, let him be constrained to be among us, and then let him provoke God to judgment with his speeches.

Job 34

¹Furthermore Elihu answered and said,

²Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.

³For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.

⁴Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.

⁵For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.

⁶Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable without transgression.

⁷What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?

⁸Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.

⁹For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.

¹⁰Therefore 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.

¹¹For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.

¹²Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.

¹³Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?

¹⁴If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;

¹⁵All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

¹⁶If now thou hast understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words.

¹⁷Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?

¹⁸Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?

¹⁹How 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.

²⁰In 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.

²¹For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.

²²There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

²³For he will not lay upon man more than right; that he should enter into judgment with God.

²⁴He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.

²⁵Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

²⁶He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;

²⁷Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways:

²⁸So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.

²⁹When 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:

³⁰That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.

³¹Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:

³²That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.

³³Should 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.

³⁴Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto me.

³⁵Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom.

³⁶My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men.

³⁷For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.