1 E lihu answered (continued his discourse) and said,

¶ Furthermore, Elihu answered and said,

2 H ear my words, you wise men, and give ear to me, you who have knowledge.

Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.

3 F or the ear tries words as the palate tastes food.

For the ear tries words, as the mouth tastes food.

4 L et us choose for ourselves that which is right; let us know among ourselves what is good.

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

5 F or Job has said, I am righteous, but God has taken away my right;

For Job has said, I am righteous; and God has taken away my right.

6 W ould I lie against my right? Yet, notwithstanding my right, I am counted a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.

In my judgment he was a liar, my arrow wound is grievous without my having committed a transgression.

7 W hat man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing and scorning like water,

What man is like Job, who drinks up the scorn like water?

8 W ho goes in company with the workers of iniquity and walks with wicked men?

Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, and walks with wicked men.

9 F or he has said, It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God and consent to Him.

For he said, It shall profit a man nothing that he should conform his will with God.

10 T herefore hear me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God that He should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that He should commit iniquity.

¶ Therefore, 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.

11 F or according to the deeds of a man God will proportion his pay, and He will cause every man to find according to his ways.

For he shall pay man according to his work and cause every man to find according to his ways.

12 T ruly God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert justice.

Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.

13 W ho put in charge over the earth? Or who laid on Him the whole world?

Who visited the earth for him? And who set the whole world in order?

14 I f should set His heart upon him and withdraw His spirit and His breath to Himself,

If he were to set his heart upon man and gather unto himself his spirit and his breath,

15 A ll flesh would perish together, and man would turn again to dust.

all flesh would perish together, and man would turn again unto dust.

16 I f now you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words.

¶ If now thou hast understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words.

17 I s it possible that an enemy of right should govern? And will you condemn Him Who is just and mighty?

Shall even he that hates judgment govern? And wilt thou condemn the Mighty One that is righteous?

18 W ho says to a king, You are worthless and vile, or to princes and nobles, You are ungodly and evil?

Is it fit to say to the king, Thou art of Belial and to the princes, Ye are ungodly?

19 i s not partial to princes, nor does He regard the rich more than the poor, for they all are the work of His hands.

How much less to him who is not a respecter of the persons of princes, nor respects the rich more than the poor; for they all are the work of his hands.

20 I n a moment they die; even at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no hand.

In a moment they shall die, and the peoples shall be troubled at midnight and shall pass away; and the mighty shall be taken away without hand.

21 F or eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps.

For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he sees all his steps.

22 T here is no darkness nor thick gloom where the evildoers may hide themselves.

There is no darkness nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

23 s ets before man no appointed time, that he should appear before in judgment.

For he will not lay upon man more than that which is just; that he should enter into judgment with God.

24 H e breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry and in ways past finding out and sets others in their stead.

He shall break in pieces mighty men without number and set others in their stead.

25 T herefore He takes knowledge of their works, and He overturns them in the night, so that they are crushed and destroyed.

Therefore, he shall cause their works to be notorious, when he shall overturn them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

26 G od strikes them down as wicked men in the open sight of beholders,

He shall strike them as wicked men in the open sight of others

27 B ecause they turned aside from Him and would not consider or show regard for any of His ways,

because thus they turned back from him and would not consider any of his ways

28 S o that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him, and He heard the cry of the afflicted.

so that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he hears the cry of the afflicted.

29 W hen He gives quietness (peace and security from oppression), who then can condemn? When He hides His face, who then can behold Him, whether it be a nation or a man by himself?—

When he gives rest, who then can make trouble? If he hides his face, who then can behold him? This applies to a nation and the same to a man,

30 T hat the godless man may not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people.

that the hypocrite not reign, lest the people be ensnared.

31 F or has anyone said to God, I have borne my chastisement; I will not offend any more;

¶ For it is of God to say, I have forgiven, I will no longer destroy.

32 T each me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?

Teach me that which I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more.

33 S hould recompense be as you will it, when you refuse to accept it? For you must do the choosing, and not I; therefore say what is your truthful conclusion.

Will he, perchance finish his work by thee; whether thou refuse or whether thou choose, or by me? Speak what thou knowest.

34 M en of understanding will tell me, indeed, every wise man who hears me,

The men of understanding will say as I say, and the wise man will hearken unto me.

35 T hat Job speaks without knowledge, and his words are without wisdom and insight.

Job has spoken without knowledge, and his words were without prudence.

36 h e be tried to the end because of his answering like wicked men!

My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end, that there may be answers against wicked men.

37 F or he adds rebellion to his unacknowledged sin; he claps his hands among us, and he multiplies his words of accusation against God.

For he added rebellion unto his sin, he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.