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 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 tries words, as the mouth tasts food.
4 Let us choose our judgment; let us know among ourselves what [is] good.
5 For Job has said, I am righteous; and God has taken away my right.
6 In my judgment he was a liar, my arrow [wound] is grievous without [my having committed a] transgression.
7 What man [is] like Job, [who] drinks up the scorn like water?
8 Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, and walks with wicked men.
9 For he said, It shall profit a man nothing that he should conform his will 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 he shall pay man [according] to his work 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 visited the earth for him? And who set the whole world in order?
14 If he were to set his heart upon man and gather unto himself his spirit and his breath,
15 all flesh would perish together, and man would turn again unto dust.
16 If now [thou hast] understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words.
17 Shall even he that hates judgment govern? And wilt thou condemn the Mighty One that is righteous?
18 [Is it fit] to say to the king, [Thou art of] Belial [and] to the princes, Ye [are] ungodly?
19 [How much less to him] who is not a respecter of the persons of princes, nor respects the rich more than the poor; for they all [are] the work of his hands.
20 In a moment they shall die, and the peoples shall be troubled at midnight and shall pass away; and the mighty shall be taken away without hand.
21 For his eyes [are] upon the ways of man, and he sees all his steps.
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 that which is just]; 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 shall cause their works to be notorious, when he shall overturn [them] in the night, so that they are destroyed.
26 He shall strike them as wicked men in the open sight of others
27 because thus 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 hears the cry of the afflicted.
29 When he gives rest, who then can make trouble? If he hides [his] face, who then can behold him? This applies to a nation and the same to a man,
30 that the hypocrite not reign, lest the people be ensnared.
31 For it is of God to say, I have forgiven, I will no longer destroy.
32 Teach me that which I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more.
33 Will he, perchance finish his work by thee; whether thou refuse or whether thou choose, or by me? Speak what thou knowest.
34 The men of understanding will say as I [say], and the wise man will hearken unto me.
35 Job has spoken without knowledge, and his words [were] without prudence.
36 My desire [is that] Job may be tried unto the end, that there may be answers against wicked men.
37 For he added rebellion unto his sin, he claps [his hands] among us and multiplies his words against God.: