| 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 tests 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 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 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 in God.' | |
| 10 | "Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: Far be it from God to do wickedness, And from the Almighty to commit iniquity. | |
| 11 | For He repays man according to his work, And makes man to find a reward according to his way. | |
| 12 | Surely God will never do wickedly, Nor will the Almighty pervert justice. | |
| 13 | Who gave 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 | Should one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn Him who is most just? | |
| 18 | Is it fitting to say to a king, 'You are worthless,' And to nobles, 'You are wicked'? | |
| 19 | Yet He is not partial to princes, 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; The people are shaken 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 need not further consider a man, That he should go before God in judgment. | |
| 24 | He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, And sets others in their place. | |
| 25 | Therefore he knows their works; He overthrows them in the night, And they are crushed. | |
| 26 | He strikes them as wicked men In the open sight of others, | |
| 27 | Because they turned back from Him, And would not consider any of His ways, | |
| 28 | So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him; For He hears the cry of the afflicted. | |
| 29 | When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble? And when He hides His face, who then can see Him, Whether it is against a nation or a man alone?-- | |
| 30 | That the hypocrite should not reign, Lest the people be ensnared. | |
| 31 | "For has anyone said to God, 'I have borne chastening; I will offend no more; | |
| 32 | Teach me what I do not see; If I have done iniquity, I will do no more'? | |
| 33 | Should He repay it according to your terms, Just because you disavow it? You must choose, and not I; Therefore speak what you know. | |
| 34 | "Men of understanding say to me, Wise men who listen to me: | |
| 35 | 'Job speaks without knowledge, His words are without wisdom.' | |
| 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 God." | |