Job-34

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v1

Then Elihu answered and said:

v2

“Hear my words, you wise men, and give ear to me, you who know;

v3

for the ear tests words as the palate tastes food.

v4

Let us choose what is right; let us know among ourselves what is good.

v5

For Job has said, ‘I am in the right, and God has taken away my right;

v6

in spite of my right I am counted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.‘

v7

What man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing like water,

v8

who travels in company with evildoers and walks with wicked men?

v9

For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should take delight in God.‘

v10

“Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.

v11

For according to the work of a man he will repay him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him.

v12

Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.

v13

Who gave him charge over the earth, and who laid on him the whole world?

v14

If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath,

v15

all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.

v16

“If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say.

v17

Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,

v18

who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’ and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,‘

v19

who shows no partiality to princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?

v20

In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.

v21

“For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.

v22

There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.

v23

For God has no need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.

v24

He shatters the mighty without investigation and sets others in their place.

v25

Thus, knowing their works, he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.

v26

He strikes them for their wickedness in a place for all to see,

v27

because they turned aside from following him and had no regard for any of his ways,

v28

so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted—

v29

When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or a man?—

v30

that a godless man should not reign, that he should not ensnare the people.

v31

“For has anyone said to God, ‘I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more;

v32

teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?

v33

Will he then make repayment to suit you, because you reject it? For you must choose, and not I; therefore declare what you know.

v34

Men of understanding will say to me, and the wise man who hears me will say:

v35

‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without insight.‘

v36

Would that Job were tried to the end, because he answers like wicked men.

v37

For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.”


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