1 T hen Elihu continued and said,

Then Elihu said,

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

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

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

For the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food.

4 “ Let us choose for ourselves what 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 “ For Job has said, ‘ I am righteous, But God has taken away my right;

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

6 S hould I lie concerning my right? 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 “ What man is like Job, Who drinks up derision like water,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If He should take back His spirit and His breath,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

19 W ho shows no partiality to princes Nor regards the rich above 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 “ 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 short time they die. At midnight the people are shaken and pass away. And the powerful are taken away by no human hand.

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

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

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

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

23 “ For He does not need to consider a man further, 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 “ He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, And sets others in their place.

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

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

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

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

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

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. They did not care about 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 they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him. And He heard the cry of those in need.

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

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

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

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

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

Teach me what I cannot see. If I have sinned, 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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