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

And Elihu answereth and saith:

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

Hear, O wise men, my words, And, O knowing ones, give ear to me.

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

For the ear doth try words, And the palate tasteth to eat.

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

Judgment let us choose for ourselves, Let us know among ourselves what good.

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

For Job hath said, `I have been righteous, And God hath turned aside 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.

Against my right do I lie? Mortal mine arrow -- without transgression.'

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

Who a man like Job? He drinketh scoffing like water,

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

And he hath travelled for company With workers of iniquity, So as to go with men of wickedness.

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

For he hath said, `It doth not profit a man, When he delighteth himself 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, O men of heart, hearken to me; Far be it from God to do wickedness, And the Mighty to do perverseness:

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 the work of man he repayeth to him, And according to the path of each He doth cause him to find.

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

Yea, truly, God doth not do wickedly, And the Mighty doth not pervert judgment.

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

Who hath inspected for Himself the earth? And who hath placed all the habitable world?

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

If He doth set on him His heart, His spirit and his breath unto Him He gathereth.

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

Expire doth all flesh together, And man to dust returneth.

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

And if understanding, hear this, Give ear 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?

Yea, doth one hating justice govern? Or the Most Just dost thou condemn?

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

Who hath said to a king -- `Worthless,' Unto princes -- `Wicked?'

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.

That hath not accepted the person of princes, Nor hath known the rich before the poor, For a work of His hands all of them.

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.

a moment they die, and at midnight Shake do people, and they pass away, And they remove the mighty without hand.

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

For His eyes on the ways of each, And all his steps He doth see.

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

There is no darkness nor death-shade, For workers of iniquity to be hidden there;

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

For He doth not suffer man any more, To go unto God in judgment,

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

He breaketh the mighty -- no searching! And He appointeth 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 knoweth their works, And He hath overturned by night, And they are bruised.

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

As wicked He hath stricken them, In the place of beholders.

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

Because that against right They have turned aside from after Him, And none of His ways have considered wisely,

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

To cause to come in unto Him The cry of the poor, And the cry of the afflicted He heareth.

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?—

And He giveth rest, and who maketh wrong? And hideth the face, and who beholdeth it? And in reference to a nation and to a man, the same.

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

From the reigning of a profane man, From the snares of a people;

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

For unto God hath any said: `I have taken away, I do not corruptly,

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

Besides I see, shew Thou me, If iniquity I have done -- I do not add?'

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.

By thee doth He recompense, That thou hast refused -- That thou dost choose, and not I? And what thou hast known, speak.

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

Let men of heart say to me, And a wise man is hearkening to me.

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

Job -- not with knowledge doth he speak, And his words not with wisdom.

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

My Father! let Job be tried -- unto victory, Because of answers for men of iniquity,

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 doth add to his sin, Transgression among us he vomiteth, And multiplieth his sayings to God.