1 Elihu further answered and said:2 Hear my words, you wise men; give ear to me, you who have knowledge.3 For the ear examines words as the palate tastes food.4 Let us choose justice for ourselves; let us know among ourselves what is good.5 For Job has said, I am righteous, but the Mighty God has taken away my justice;6 should I lie concerning my right? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.7 What man is like Job, who drinks up derision 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 when he is pleasing to God.10 Therefore listen to me, you men with heart: far be it from the Mighty God to do wickedness, and from the Almighty to do injustice.11 For He repays man according to his work, and causes him to attain according to his way.12 Surely the Mighty God will never do wickedly, nor will the Almighty pervert justice.13 Who has given Him charge over the earth? Or who appointed Him over the whole world?14 If He should set His heart on it, if He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath,15 all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.16 If you have understanding, hear this; listen to the sound of my words:17 Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn a righteous mighty one?18 Is it fitting to say to a king, You are worthless; and to nobles, You are wicked?19 He is not partial to rulers, nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; for they are all the work of His hands.20 In a moment they die, in the middle of the night; people convulse and pass away; the mighty are taken away without a hand.21 For His eyes are on 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 does not lay more upon man, that he should go before the Mighty God in judgment.24 He breaks mighty men in pieces without inquiry, and makes others stand in their place.25 Therefore he knows their works; He overthrows them in the night, and they are crushed.26 He chastises them as wicked men, in a place where others can see,27 because they have turned aside from following Him, and have not considered any of His ways,28 so that they cause the cry of the poor to come to Him; for He hears the cry of the lowly.29 When He gives quietness, who then can condemn? And when He hides His face, who then can see Him? It might be against a nation or mankind altogether,30 so that the hypocrite should not reign, lest the people be ensnared.31 For has anyone said to the Mighty God, I have endured; I will offend no more;32 teach me what I do not see; if I have done injustice, I will do no more?33 Shall He recompense on your terms, just because you have rejected it? You must choose, and not I; therefore speak what you know.34 Men with heart say to me, wise men who listen to me:35 Job speaks without knowledge, his words are without insight.36 Oh, that Job were tried to the utmost, because his answers are like those of wicked men!37 For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us, and multiplies his words against the Mighty God.

1 And Helyu pronounside, and spak also these thingis,2 Wise men, here ye my wordis, and lerned men, herkne ye me; for the eere preueth wordis,3 and the throte demeth metis bi taast.4 Chese we doom to vs; and se we among vs, what is the betere.5 For Job seide, Y am iust, and God hath distried my doom.6 For whi lesynge is in demynge me, and myn arowe is violent with out ony synne.7 Who is a man, as Joob is, that drynkith scornyng as watir?8 that goith with men worchynge wickidnesse, and goith with vnfeithful men?9 For he seide, A man schal not plese God, yhe, thouy he renneth with God.10 Therfor ye men hertid, `that is, vndurstonde, here ye me; vnpite, `ethir cruelte, be fer fro God, and wickidnesse fro Almyyti God.11 For he schal yelde the werk of man to hym; and bi the weies of ech man he schal restore to hym.12 For verili God schal not condempne with out cause; nether Almyyti God schal distrie doom.13 What othere man hath he ordeyned on the lond? ether whom hath he set on the world, which he made?14 If God dressith his herte to hym, he schal drawe to hym silf his spirit and blast.15 Ech fleisch schal faile togidere; `and a man schal turne ayen in to aisch.16 Therfor if thou hast vndurstondyng, here thou that that is seid, and herkne the vois of my speche.17 Whether he that loueth not doom may be maad hool? and hou condempnest thou so myche him, that is iust?18 Which seith to the kyng, Thou art apostata; which clepith the duykis vnpitouse, `ethir vnfeithful.19 `Which takith not the persoones of princes, nether knew a tyraunt, whanne he stryuede ayens a pore man; for alle men ben the werk of hise hondis.20 Thei schulen die sudeynli, and at mydnyyt puplis schulen be troblid, `ethir schulen be bowid, as othere bookis han; and schulen passe, and schulen take `awei `a violent man with out hond.21 For the iyen of God ben on the weies of men, and biholdith alle goyngis of hem.22 No derknessis ben, and no schadewe of deeth is, that thei, that worchen wickidnesse, be hid there;23 for it is `no more in the power of man, that he come to God in to doom.24 God schal al to-breke many men and vnnoumbrable; and schal make othere men to stonde for hem.25 For he knowith the werkis of hem; therfor he schal brynge yn niyt, and thei schulen be al to-brokun.26 He smoot hem, as vnpitouse men, in the place of seinge men.27 Whiche yeden awei fro hym bi `castyng afore, and nolden vndurstonde alle hise weies.28 That thei schulden make the cry of a nedi man to come to hym, and that he schulde here the vois of pore men.29 For whanne he grauntith pees, who is that condempneth? Sithen he hidith his cheer, who is that seeth hym? And on folkis and on alle men `he hath power `to do siche thingis.30 Which makith `a man ypocrite to regne, for the synnes of the puple.31 Therfor for Y haue spoke to God, also Y schal not forbede thee.32 If Y erride, teche thou me; if Y spak wickidnesse, Y schal no more adde.33 Whether God axith that wickidnesse of thee, for it displeside thee? For thou hast bigunne to speke, and not Y; that if thou knowist ony thing betere, speke thou.34 Men vndurstondynge, speke to me; and a wise man, here me.35 Forsothe Joob spak folili, and hise wordis sownen not techyng.36 My fadir, be Joob preuede `til to the ende; ceesse thou not fro the man of wickidnesse,37 `that addith blasfemye ouer hise synnes. Be he constreyned among vs in the meene tyme; and thanne bi hise wordis stire he God to the doom.