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.