1 E lihu further answered and said:

Furthermore Elihu answered and said,

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

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

3 F or the ear tests words As the palate tastes food.

For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.

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

Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.

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

For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.

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

Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable without transgression.

7 W hat man is like Job, Who drinks scorn like water,

What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?

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

Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.

9 F or he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing That he should delight in 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 commit iniquity.

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

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

12 S urely God will never do wickedly, Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.

Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.

13 W ho gave Him charge over the earth? Or who appointed Him over the whole world?

Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?

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

If he set his heart upon man, 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 “ 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 S hould one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn Him who is most just?

Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?

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

Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?

19 Y et 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.

How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.

20 I n 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.

In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand.

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

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

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

For he will not lay upon man more than right; that he should enter into judgment with God.

24 H e breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, And sets others in their place.

He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.

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

Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

26 H e strikes them as wicked men In the open sight of others,

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

27 B ecause 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 caused the cry of the poor to come to Him; For He hears the cry of the afflicted.

So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.

29 W hen 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?—

When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:

30 T hat the hypocrite should not reign, Lest the people be ensnared.

That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.

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

Surely it is meet to be 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 do no more’?

That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.

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

Should it be according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I: therefore speak what thou knowest.

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

Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto me.

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

Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom.

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

My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men.

37 F or 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.