1 Moreover Elihu answered,
2 "Hear my words, you wise men.
Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.
3 For the ear tries words,
as the palate tastes food.
4 Let us choose for us that which is right.
Let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job has said, ‘I am righteous,
God has taken away my right.
6 Notwithstanding my right I am considered a liar.
My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.’
7 What man is like Job,
who drinks scorn like water,
8 who goes in company with the workers of iniquity,
and walks with wicked men?
9 For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
that he should delight himself with God.’
10 "Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding:
far be it from God, that he should do wickedness,
from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
11 For the work of a man he will render to him,
and cause every man to find according to his ways.
12 Yes surely, God will not do wickedly,
neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
13 Who put him in charge of the earth?
Or who has appointed him over the whole world?
14 If he set his heart on himself,
if he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath,
15 all flesh would perish together,
and man would turn again to dust.
16 "If now you have understanding, hear this.
Listen to the voice of my words.
17 Should even one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18 who says to a king, ‘Vile!’
or to nobles, ‘Wicked!’?
19 He doesn’t respect the persons of princes,
nor respect the rich more than the poor,
for they all are the work of his hands.
20 In a moment they die, even at midnight.
The people are shaken and pass away.
The mighty are taken away without a hand.
21 "For his eyes are on the ways of a man.
He sees all his goings.
22 There is no darkness, nor thick gloom,
where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 For he doesn’t need to consider a man further,
that he should go before God in judgment.
24 He breaks mighty men in pieces in ways past finding out,
and sets others in their place.
25 Therefore he takes knowledge of their works.
He overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
26 He strikes them as wicked men
in the open sight of others;
27 because they turned away from following him,
and wouldn’t pay attention to any of his ways,
28 so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him.
He heard the cry of the afflicted.
29 When he gives quietness, who then can condemn?
When he hides his face, who then can see him?
He is over a nation or a man alike,
30 that the godless man may not reign,
that there be no one to ensnare the people.
31 "For has any said to God,
‘I am guilty, but I will not offend any more.
32 Teach me that which I don’t see.
If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?
33 Shall his recompense be as you desire, that you refuse it?
For you must choose, and not I.
Therefore speak what you know.
34 Men of understanding will tell me,
yes, every wise man who hears me:
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge.
His words are without wisdom.’
36 I wish that Job were tried to the end,
because of his answering like wicked men.
37 For he adds rebellion to his sin.
He claps his hands among us,
and multiplies his words against God."
1 Verder het El¡hu aangehef en gesê:
2 Hoor my woorde, o wyse manne! En luister na my, u wat kennis het!
3 Want die oor toets woorde soos die verhemelte die spys proe.
4 Laat ons vir onsself uitmaak wat reg is, en onder mekaar uitvind wat goed is.
5 Want Job het gesê: Ek is regverdig, en God het my my reg ontneem.
6 Ondanks my reg staan ek as leuenaar; ongeneeslik is my pylwond, en dit sonder oortreding!
7 Waar is 'n man soos Job wat godslastering drink soos water?
8 Wat in die geselskap loop van die werkers van ongeregtigheid en wandel saam met goddelose mense?
9 Want hy het gesê: Dit baat 'n man niks dat hy 'n welgevalle aan God het nie.
10 Daarom, manne van verstand, luister na my: Ver is God van goddeloosheid en die Almagtige van onreg!
11 Veelmeer vergeld Hy die mens na sy werk, en volgens 'n man se wandel laat Hy hom ondervind.
12 Ja waarlik, God handel nie onregverdig nie, en die Almagtige verdraai nie die reg nie.
13 Wie het aan Hom die aarde toevertrou, en wie het die hele wêreld gegrond?
14 As Hy op Homself ag sou gee, sy Gees en sy asem na Hom sou terugtrek,
15 dan sou alle vlees tesame die asem uitblaas en die mens sou tot stof terugkeer.
16 As daar dan verstand by u is, hoor dit; luister na die stem van my woorde.
17 Kan ook een wat die reg haat, heers? Of durf u die Regverdige, die Geweldige, veroordeel?
18 Durf iemand aan 'n koning sê: Jou deugniet! Aan die edeles: Jou goddelose!
19 Hoeveel minder aan Hom wat die vorste nie voortrek nie en op die vername nie meer ag gee as op die arme nie; want hulle almal is die werk van sy hande.
20 In 'n oomblik sterf hulle, en in die middel van die nag word 'n volk in beroering gebring en hulle gaan onder, en die magtige word weggedryf -- nie deur 'n hand nie.
21 Want sy oë is op die weë van die mens, en Hy sien al sy voetstappe.
22 Daar is geen duisternis en daar is geen diepe donkerheid waarin die werkers van ongeregtigheid hulle kan wegsteek nie.
23 Want Hy hoef nie lank op 'n mens ag te gee, dat hy voor God in die gereg sou gaan nie.
24 Hy verpletter die geweldiges sonder ondersoek en sit ander in hulle plek.
25 So ken Hy dan hulle werke en werp hulle omver in die nag, sodat hulle verbrysel word.
26 Hy straf hulle soos goddelose op die plek waar almal dit sien,
27 omdat hulle van Hom afgewyk en op geeneen van sy weë ag gegee het nie --
28 om die geroep van die arme na Hom te laat kom, en dat Hy die geroep van die ellendiges sou hoor.
29 En gee Hy rus, wie durf Hom dan veroordeel? En verberg Hy die aangesig, wie kan Hom dan aanskou? -- of dit al 'n nasie betref of 'n mens, almal saam;
30 sodat die goddelose mense nie sal regeer, sodat hulle geen strikke vir die volk sal wees nie.
31 Want sê iemand wel tot God: Ek boet sonder dat ek sleg handel;
32 wat ek nie insien nie, leer U my dit; s ek onreg gedoen het, ek sal dit nie meer doen nie --
33 moet Hy volgens u mening tog vergelding doen? U is mos ontevrede, sodat u moet sê wat beter is, en nie ek nie! Wat u dan weet -- spreek dit uit!
34 Manne van verstand sal vir my sê, en 'n wyse man wat my aanhoor:
35 Job spreek sonder kennis, en sy woorde is sonder verstand.
36 Ag, mag Job getoets word tot die einde toe weens die antwoorde in die trant van kwaaddoeners.
37 Want hy voeg 'n oortreding by sy sonde; onder ons spreek hy smadelik en vermenigvuldig sy woorde teen God.