1 M oreover Elihu answered and said,

Then Elihu said,

2 H ear my words, ye wise men; And give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.

“Hear my words, you wise men. Listen to me, you who know.

3 F or the ear trieth words, As the palate tasteth food.

For the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food.

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

Let us choose for ourselves what is right. Let us know among ourselves what is good.

5 F or Job hath said, I am righteous, And God hath taken away my right:

For Job has said, ‘I am right and good, but God has taken away my right.

6 N otwithstanding my right I am accounted a liar; My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.

Would I lie about my right? I have been hurt so that I cannot be healed, but I have done no wrong.’

7 W hat man is like Job, Who drinketh up scoffing like water,

What man is like Job, who drinks up words against him like water?

8 W ho goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, And walketh with wicked men?

He goes among those who do wrong, and walks with sinful men.

9 F or he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing That he should delight himself with God.

For he has said, ‘A man gets nothing by trying to please God.’

10 T herefore 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.

“So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do what is sinful, and from the All-powerful to do wrong.

11 F or the work of a man will he render unto him, And cause every man to find according to his ways.

For He pays a man by the work he does. He will see that a man is paid for what he does.

12 Y ea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly, Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.

For sure God will not do wrong. The All-powerful will not turn what is right into sin.

13 W ho gave him a charge over the earth? Or who hath disposed the whole world?

Who gave Him the power over the earth? Who gave Him the whole world to take care of?

14 I f he set his heart upon himself, If he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;

If He should take back His spirit and His breath,

15 A ll flesh shall perish together, And man shall turn again unto dust.

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

16 I f now thou hast understanding, hear this: Hearken to the voice of my words.

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

17 S hall even one that hateth justice govern? And wilt thou condemn him that is righteous and mighty?-

Should one who hates what is right be the one to rule? Will you say that He Who is right and good and strong is guilty?

18 H im that saith to a king, Thou art vile, Or to nobles, Ye are wicked;

Who says to a king, ‘You are of no worth,’ and to rulers, ‘You are sinful’?

19 T hat respecteth not the persons of princes, Nor regardeth the rich more than the poor; For they all are the work of his hands.

Who shows no favor to princes, or thinks of the rich as more important than the poor? They are all 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 without hand.

In a short time they die. At midnight the people are shaken and pass away. And the powerful are taken away by no human hand.

21 F or his eyes are upon the ways of a man, And he seeth all his goings.

“For God’s eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps.

22 T here is no darkness, nor thick gloom, Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

There is no darkness or shadow where sinners can hide themselves.

23 F or he needeth not further to consider a man, That he should go before God in judgment.

For God does not need to set a time for man to go before Him and be judged.

24 H e breaketh in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out, And setteth others in their stead.

He breaks powerful men in pieces without asking any reason, and puts others in their place.

25 T herefore he taketh knowledge of their works; And he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

For He knows their works. He puts them down in the night, and they are crushed.

26 H e striketh them as wicked men In the open sight of others;

God punishes them for their sin where everyone can see them.

27 B ecause they turned aside from following him, And would not have regard in any of his ways:

Because they turned aside from following Him. They did not care about any of His ways.

28 S o that they caused the cry of the poor to come unto him, And he heard the cry of the afflicted.

So they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him. And He heard the cry of those in need.

29 W hen he giveth quietness, who then can condemn? And when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? Alike whether it be done unto a nation, or unto a man:

When He keeps quiet, who can say He is wrong? When He hides His face, who can see Him? But He is over both nation and man.

30 T hat the godless man reign not, That there be none to ensnare the people.

So men without God should not rule and should not be a trap for the people.

31 F or hath any said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:

“For has any one said to God, ‘I have suffered punishment, and will not cause any more trouble?

32 T hat which I see not teach thou me: If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?

Teach me what I cannot see. If I have sinned, I will do it no more’?

33 S hall his recompense be as thou wilt, that thou refusest it? For thou must choose, and not I: Therefore speak what thou knowest.

Will God ask what you want to do, when you will not do what He says? You must decide, and not I. So tell what you know.

34 M en of understanding will say unto me, Yea, every wise man that heareth me:

Men of understanding will say to me, and wise men who hear me say,

35 J ob speaketh without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom.

‘Job speaks without much learning. His words are without wisdom.

36 W ould that Job were tried unto the end, Because of his answering like wicked men.

Job should be tried to the end, because he answers like sinful men.

37 F or he addeth rebellion unto his sin; He clappeth his hands among us, And multiplieth his words against God.

To his sin he adds a strong will against God. Making fun he claps his hands among us, and speaks many words against God.’”