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Elihu Asserts God’s Justice

34 Thus[a] Elihu spoke up[b] and said,

“Hear my words, you wise men,
and listen to me, you who know,
for the ear tests words,
and the palate tastes food.[c]
Let us choose justice for ourselves;
let us determine among ourselves what is good—
for Job has said, ‘I am righteous,
but God has taken away my justice.
Should I lie concerning my justice?
Though I am without transgression, my wound caused by an arrow is incurable.’
What man is like Job,
who drinks scorn like water?
And he goes on the road in company with instigators of mischief,
and walks with men of wickedness.
Indeed, he says, ‘A man does not profit
when he takes delight in God.’
10 “Therefore, listen to me, people who have sense:[d]
far be it from God that he should commit wickedness[e]
and that Shaddai should do wrong.[f]
11 Indeed, he will repay according to a human being’s deeds,
and according to a man’s way he will let it happen to him.
12 What’s more, God truly does not act wickedly,
and Shaddai does not pervert justice.
13 Who gave him charge over the earth?
Or[g] who laid on him the whole world?
14 If he should set his heart to it,
and he should gather his spirit and his breath to himself,
15 all flesh would perish together,
and humankind would return to dust.
16 “But[h] if you have understanding, hear this;
listen to what I say.[i]
17 Shall he who hates justice really govern?
Or will you[j] declare the Righteous One, the Mighty, guilty?—
18 the one who says to a king,
‘You worthless man,’ to noblemen, ‘You wicked man,’
19 who shows no partiality to officials[k]
and who does not take note of the noble more than of the insignificant,[l]
for all of them are the work of his hands?
20 In a moment they die,
and in the middle of the night the people are shaken, and they pass away,
and they take away the mighty effortlessly.[m]
21 “Indeed, his eyes are upon the ways of man,
and he sees all his steps.
22 There is no darkness, and there is no deep shadow
where instigators of mischief might hide themselves.
23 Indeed, he has not yet appointed a time for man
to go to God in the judgment.
24 He shatters the mighty without investigation,
and he sets others in their place.
25 Therefore he knows their works,
and he overturns them in the night
so that[n] they are crushed.
26 He strikes them where the wicked stood,[o]
where there are onlookers,[p]
27 because they have turned aside from him
and have not understood any of his ways,
28 so that they cause the cry of distress from the helpless to come to him,
and he hears the cry of distress from the needy,
29 but he remains quiet, and who can condemn?
And he hides his face, and who can behold him?
Yet[q] he is over a nation and over a person alike,
30 so that godless human beings should not reign,
nor those who ensnare the people.
31 “Indeed, does anyone say to God, ‘I have endured chastisement;
I will not act corruptly again;
32 teach me yourself what I cannot see;[r]
if I have done wrong, I will not repeat it’?
33 According to your judgment,[s] must he repay it because you rejected this?
Indeed, you must choose, and not I, so[t] declare what you know.
34 Those who have sense[u] say to me,
and the wise man hearing me says:
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge,
and his words are without insight.
36 Would that Job were tested up to the end
because his answers are like those from men of mischief,
37 for he adds transgression to his sin;
he claps hands among us,
and he multiplies his words against God.’”

Footnotes

  1. Job 34:1 Hebrew “And”
  2. Job 34:1 Literally “answered”; see NET
  3. Job 34:3 Literally “to eat”
  4. Job 34:10 Literally “men of heart”
  5. Job 34:10 Literally “from wickedness”
  6. Job 34:10 Literally “from wrong”
  7. Job 34:13 Hebrew “And”
  8. Job 34:16 Hebrew “And”
  9. Job 34:16 Literally “the voice/sound of my words”
  10. Job 34:17 Singular
  11. Job 34:19 Literally “he does not lift the face of officials”
  12. Job 34:19 Literally “he does not regard the eminent to the face of the poor/insignificant”
  13. Job 34:20 Literally “not by a hand”
  14. Job 34:25 Hebrew “and”
  15. Job 34:26 Literally “among the wicked”
  16. Job 34:26 Literally “in the place of seers”
  17. Job 34:29 Hebrew “And”
  18. Job 34:32 Literally “apart from what I can see”
  19. Job 34:33 Literally “from with you”
  20. Job 34:33 Hebrew “And”
  21. Job 34:34 Literally “Men of heart”

34 Then Elihu said:

“Hear my words, you wise men;
    listen to me,(A) you men of learning.
For the ear tests words
    as the tongue tastes food.(B)
Let us discern for ourselves what is right;(C)
    let us learn together what is good.(D)

“Job says, ‘I am innocent,(E)
    but God denies me justice.(F)
Although I am right,
    I am considered a liar;(G)
although I am guiltless,(H)
    his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’(I)
Is there anyone like Job,
    who drinks scorn like water?(J)
He keeps company with evildoers;
    he associates with the wicked.(K)
For he says, ‘There is no profit
    in trying to please God.’(L)

10 “So listen to me,(M) you men of understanding.(N)
    Far be it from God to do evil,(O)
    from the Almighty to do wrong.(P)
11 He repays everyone for what they have done;(Q)
    he brings on them what their conduct deserves.(R)
12 It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,(S)
    that the Almighty would pervert justice.(T)
13 Who appointed(U) him over the earth?
    Who put him in charge of the whole world?(V)
14 If it were his intention
    and he withdrew his spirit[a](W) and breath,(X)
15 all humanity would perish(Y) together
    and mankind would return to the dust.(Z)

16 “If you have understanding,(AA) hear this;
    listen to what I say.(AB)
17 Can someone who hates justice govern?(AC)
    Will you condemn the just and mighty One?(AD)
18 Is he not the One who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’
    and to nobles,(AE) ‘You are wicked,’(AF)
19 who shows no partiality(AG) to princes
    and does not favor the rich over the poor,(AH)
    for they are all the work of his hands?(AI)
20 They die in an instant, in the middle of the night;(AJ)
    the people are shaken and they pass away;
    the mighty are removed without human hand.(AK)

21 “His eyes are on the ways of mortals;(AL)
    he sees their every step.(AM)
22 There is no deep shadow,(AN) no utter darkness,(AO)
    where evildoers can hide.(AP)
23 God has no need to examine people further,(AQ)
    that they should come before him for judgment.(AR)
24 Without inquiry he shatters(AS) the mighty(AT)
    and sets up others in their place.(AU)
25 Because he takes note of their deeds,(AV)
    he overthrows them in the night(AW) and they are crushed.(AX)
26 He punishes them for their wickedness(AY)
    where everyone can see them,
27 because they turned from following him(AZ)
    and had no regard for any of his ways.(BA)
28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before him,
    so that he heard the cry of the needy.(BB)
29 But if he remains silent,(BC) who can condemn him?(BD)
    If he hides his face,(BE) who can see him?
Yet he is over individual and nation alike,(BF)
30     to keep the godless(BG) from ruling,(BH)
    from laying snares for the people.(BI)

31 “Suppose someone says to God,
    ‘I am guilty(BJ) but will offend no more.
32 Teach me what I cannot see;(BK)
    if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’(BL)
33 Should God then reward you on your terms,
    when you refuse to repent?(BM)
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;(BN)
    his words lack insight.’(BO)
36 Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost
    for answering like a wicked man!(BP)
37 To his sin he adds rebellion;
    scornfully he claps his hands(BQ) among us
    and multiplies his words(BR) against God.”(BS)

Footnotes

  1. Job 34:14 Or Spirit