1 ¶ Furthermore, Elihu answered and said,

Elihu further answered and said:

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

“Hear my words, you wise men; Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.

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

For the ear tests words As the palate tastes food.

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

Let us choose justice for ourselves; Let us know among ourselves what is good.

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

“For Job has said, ‘I am righteous, But God has taken away my justice;

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

Should I lie concerning my right? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’

7 W hat man is like Job, who drinks up the scorn like water?

What man is like Job, Who drinks 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 said, It shall profit a man nothing that he should conform his will with God.

For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing That he should delight in 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.

“Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: Far be it from God to do wickedness, And from the Almighty to commit iniquity.

11 F or he shall pay man according to his work and cause every man to find according to his ways.

For He repays man according to his work, And makes man to find a reward according to his way.

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

Surely God will never do wickedly, Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.

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

Who gave Him charge over the earth? Or who appointed Him over the whole world?

14 I f he were to set his heart upon man and gather unto himself his spirit and his breath,

If He should set His heart on it, If He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath,

15 a ll flesh would perish together, and man would turn again unto dust.

All flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust.

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

“If you have understanding, hear this; Listen to the sound of my words:

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

Should one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn Him who is most just?

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

Is it fitting to say to a king, ‘ You are worthless,’ And to nobles, ‘ You are wicked’?

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.

Yet He is not partial to princes, Nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; For they are all 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.

In a moment they die, in the middle of the night; The people are shaken and pass away; The mighty are taken away without a hand.

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

“For His eyes are on 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.

There 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.

For He need not further consider a man, That he should go before God in judgment.

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

He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, And sets others in their place.

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

Therefore He knows their works; He overthrows them in the night, And they are crushed.

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

He strikes 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

Because 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.

So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him; For 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,

When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble? And when He hides His face, who then can see Him, Whether it is against a nation or a man alone?—

30 t hat the hypocrite not reign, lest the people be ensnared.

That the hypocrite should not reign, Lest the people be ensnared.

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

“For has anyone said to God, ‘I have borne chastening; I will offend no more;

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

Teach me what I do not see; If I have done iniquity, I will do 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.

Should He repay it according to your terms, Just because you disavow it? You must choose, and not I; Therefore speak what you know.

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

“Men of understanding say to me, Wise men who listen to me:

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

‘Job speaks without knowledge, His words are without wisdom.’

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

Oh, that Job were tried to the utmost, Because his answers are like those of wicked men!

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

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