Job 34

¹Then Elihu said:

²“Hear my words, you wise men;

listen to me, you men of learning.

³For the ear tests words

as the tongue tastes food.

⁴Let us discern for ourselves what is right;

let us learn together what is good.

⁵“Job says, ‘I am innocent,

but God denies me justice.

⁶Although I am right,

I am considered a liar;

although I am guiltless,

his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’

⁷Is there anyone like Job,

who drinks scorn like water?

⁸He keeps company with evildoers;

he associates with the wicked.

⁹For he says, ‘There is no profit

in trying to please God.’

¹⁰“So listen to me, you men of understanding.

Far be it from God to do evil,

from the Almighty to do wrong.

¹¹He repays everyone for what they have done;

he brings on them what their conduct deserves.

¹²It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,

that the Almighty would pervert justice.

¹³Who appointed him over the earth?

Who put him in charge of the whole world?

¹⁴If it were his intention

and he withdrew his spirit and breath,

¹⁵all humanity would perish together

and mankind would return to the dust.

¹⁶“If you have understanding, hear this;

listen to what I say.

¹⁷Can someone who hates justice govern?

Will you condemn the just and mighty One?

¹⁸Is he not the One who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’

and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’

¹⁹who shows no partiality to princes

and does not favor the rich over the poor,

for they are all the work of his hands?

²⁰They die in an instant, in the middle of the night;

the people are shaken and they pass away;

the mighty are removed without human hand.

²¹“His eyes are on the ways of mortals;

he sees their every step.

²²There is no deep shadow, no utter darkness,

where evildoers can hide.

²³God has no need to examine people further,

that they should come before him for judgment.

²⁴Without inquiry he shatters the mighty

and sets up others in their place.

²⁵Because he takes note of their deeds,

he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.

²⁶He punishes them for their wickedness

where everyone can see them,

²⁷because they turned from following him

and had no regard for any of his ways.

²⁸They caused the cry of the poor to come before him,

so that he heard the cry of the needy.

²⁹But if he remains silent, who can condemn him?

If he hides his face, who can see him?

Yet he is over individual and nation alike,

³⁰to keep the godless from ruling,

from laying snares for the people.

³¹“Suppose someone says to God,

‘I am guilty but will offend no more.

³²Teach me what I cannot see;

if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’

³³Should God then reward you on your terms,

when you refuse to repent?

You must decide, not I;

so tell me what you know.

³⁴“Men of understanding declare,

wise men who hear me say to me,

³⁵‘Job speaks without knowledge;

his words lack insight.’

³⁶Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost

for answering like a wicked man!

³⁷To his sin he adds rebellion;

scornfully he claps his hands among us

and multiplies his words against God.”