Jó 34

Og Elihu tog til Orde og sagde:

Thi Øret prøver Ord, som Ganen smager på Mad;

lad os udgranske, hvad der er Ret, med hinanden skønne, hvad der er godt!

Er der mon Mage til Job? Han drikker Spot som Vand,

søger Selskab med Udådsmænd og Omgang med gudløse Folk!

Derfor, I kloge, hør mig: Det være langt fra Gud af synde, fra den Almægtige at gøre ondt;

nej, han gengælder Menneskets Gerning, handler med Manden efter hans Færd;

Gud forbryder sig visselig ej, den Almægtige bøjer ej Retten!

Hvo gav ham Tilsyn med Jorden, hvo vogter, mon hele Verden?

Drog han sin Ånd tilbage og tog sin Ånde til sig igen,

da udånded Kødet til Hobe, og atter blev Mennesket Støv!

Har du Forstand, så hør derpå, lån Øre til mine Ord!

Mon en, der hadede Ret, kunde styre? Dømmer du ham, den Retfærdige, Vældige?

som ikke gør Forskel til Fordel for Fyrster ej heller foretrækker rig for ringe, thi de er alle hans Hænders Værk.

Brat må de dø, endda midt om Natten; de store slår han til, og borte er de, de vældige fjernes uden Menneskehånd.

Thi Menneskets Veje er ham for Øje, han skuer alle dets Skridt;

der er intet Mørke og intet Mulm, som Udådsmænd kan gemme sig i.

Thi Mennesket sættes der ingen Frist til at møde i Retten for Gud;

han knuser de vældige uden Forhør og sætter andre i Stedet.

Jeg hævder derfor: Han ved deres Gerninger, og ved Nattetide styrter han dem;

for deres Gudløshed slås de sønder, for alles Øjne tugter han dem,

fordi de veg borf fra ham og ikke regned hans Veje det mindste,

så de voldte, at ringe råbte til ham, og han måtte høre de armes Skrig.

Tier han stille, hvo vil dømme ham? Skjuler han sit Åsyn, hvo vil laste ham? Over Folk og Mennesker våger han dog,

for at ikke en vanhellig skal herske, en af dem, der er Folkets Snarer.

skal han da gøre Gengæld, fordi du vil det, fordi du indvender noget? Ja du, ikke jeg, skal afgøre det, så sig da nu, hvad du ved!

Kloge Folk vil sige til mig som og vise Mænd, der hører mig:

Gid Job uden Ophør må prøves, fordi han svarer som slette Folk!

Furthermore Elihu answered and said,

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

For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat. {mouth: Heb. palate}

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

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

Should I lie against my right? my wound {is} incurable without transgression. {my wound: Heb. mine arrow}

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

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

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

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. {men...: Heb. men of heart}

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

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

Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world? {the whole: Heb. all of it?}

If he set his heart upon man, {if} he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; {man: Heb. him}

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

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

Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just? {govern: Heb. bind?}

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

{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.

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. {the mighty...: Heb. they shall take away the mighty}

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

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

For he will not lay upon man more {than right}; that he should enter into judgment with God. {enter: Heb. go}

He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead. {number: Heb. searching out}

Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth {them} in the night, so that they are destroyed. {destroyed: Heb. crushed}

He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others; {open...: Heb. place of beholders}

Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways: {him: Heb. after him}

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

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:

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

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

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

{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. {according...: Heb. from with thee?}

Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto me. {of...: Heb. of heart}

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

My desire {is that} Job may be tried unto the end because of {his} answers for wicked men. {My...: or, My father, let Job be tried}

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