1 T hen Elihu continued and said,

Moreover Elihu answered and said,

2 “ Hear my words, you wise men, And listen to me, you who know.

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

3 “ For the ear tests words As the palate tastes food.

For the ear trieth words, As the palate tasteth food.

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

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

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

For Job hath said, I am righteous, And God hath taken away my right:

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

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

7 “ What man is like Job, Who drinks up derision like water,

What man is like Job, Who drinketh up scoffing like water,

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

Who goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, And walketh with wicked men?

9 “ For he has said, ‘ It profits a man nothing When he is pleased with God.’

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

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

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 “ For He pays a man according to his work, And makes him find it according to his way.

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

12 “ Surely, God will not act wickedly, And the Almighty will not pervert justice.

Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly, Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.

13 “ Who gave Him authority over the earth? And who has laid on Him the whole world?

Who gave him a charge over the earth? Or who hath disposed the whole world?

14 “ If He should determine to do so, If He should gather to Himself His spirit and His breath,

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

15 A ll flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust.

All flesh shall perish together, And man shall turn again unto dust.

16 “ But if you have understanding, hear this; Listen to the sound of my words.

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

17 “ Shall one who hates justice rule? And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,

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

18 W ho says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’ To nobles, ‘Wicked ones’;

Him that saith to a king, Thou art vile, Or to nobles, Ye are wicked;

19 W ho shows no partiality to princes Nor regards the rich above the poor, For they all are the work of His hands?

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

20 “ In a moment they die, and at midnight People are shaken and pass away, And the mighty are taken away without a hand.

In a moment they die, even at midnight; The people are shaken and pass away, And the mighty are taken away without hand.

21 “ For His eyes are upon the ways of a man, And He sees all his steps.

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

22 “ There is no darkness or deep shadow Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

26 “ He strikes them like the wicked In a public place,

He striketh them as wicked men In the open sight of others;

27 B ecause they turned aside from following Him, And had no regard for any of His ways;

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

28 S o that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him, And that He might hear the cry of the afflicted—

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

29 W hen He keeps quiet, who then can condemn? And when He hides His face, who then can behold Him, That is, in regard to both nation and man?—

When 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:

30 S o that godless men would not rule Nor be snares of the people.

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

31 “ For has anyone said to God, ‘I have borne chastisement; I will not offend anymore;

For hath any said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:

32 T each me what I do not see; If I have done iniquity, I will not do it again’?

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

33 “ Shall He recompense on your terms, because you have rejected it ? For you must choose, and not I; Therefore declare what you know.

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

34 “ Men of understanding will say to me, And a wise man who hears me,

Men of understanding will say unto me, Yea, every wise man that heareth me:

35 ‘ Job speaks without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom.

Job speaketh without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom.

36 ‘ Job ought to be tried to the limit, Because he answers like wicked men.

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

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

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