Job - 34

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1 Furthermore, Elihu answered and said,

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

3 F or the ear tries words, as the mouth tastes food.

4 L et us choose our judgment; let us know among ourselves what is good.

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

6 I n 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 the scorn like water?

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

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

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

12 Y ea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.

13 W ho visited the earth for him? And who set the whole world in order?

14 I f 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 unto dust.

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

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

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

19 H ow 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 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 his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he sees all his steps.

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

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

24 H e shall break in pieces mighty men without number and set others in their stead.

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

26 H e shall strike them as wicked men in the open sight of others

27 b ecause thus they turned back from him and would not consider any of his ways

28 s o 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 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 hypocrite not reign, lest the people be ensnared.

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

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

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

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

35 J ob has spoken without knowledge, and his words were without prudence.

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

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