Job - Chapter 34 | English Standard Version

  • 1. Then Elihu answered and said:
  • 2. "Hear my words, you wise men, and give ear to me, you who know;
  • 3. for the ear tests words as the palate tastes food.
  • 4. Let us choose what is right; let us know among ourselves what is good.
  • 5. For Job has said, 'I am in the right, and God has taken away my right;
  • 6. in spite of my right I am counted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.'
  • 7. What man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing like water,
  • 8. who travels in company with evildoers and walks with wicked men?
  • 9. For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing that he should take delight in God.'
  • 10. "Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.
  • 11. For according to the work of a man he will repay him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him.
  • 12. Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.
  • 13. Who gave him charge over the earth, and who laid on him the whole world?
  • 14. If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath,
  • 15. all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.
  • 16. "If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say.
  • 17. Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
  • 18. who says to a king, 'Worthless one,' and to nobles, 'Wicked man,'
  • 19. who shows no partiality to princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?
  • 20. In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.
  • 21. "For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.
  • 22. There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.
  • 23. For God has no need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.
  • 24. He shatters the mighty without investigation and sets others in their place.
  • 25. Thus, knowing their works, he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
  • 26. He strikes them for their wickedness in a place for all to see,
  • 27. because they turned aside from following him and had no regard for any of his ways,
  • 28. so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted--
  • 29. When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or a man?--
  • 30. that a godless man should not reign, that he should not ensnare the people.
  • 31. "For has anyone said to God, 'I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more;
  • 32. teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more'?
  • 33. Will he then make repayment to suit you, because you reject it? For you must choose, and not I; therefore declare what you know.
  • 34. Men of understanding will say to me, and the wise man who hears me will say:
  • 35. 'Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without insight.'
  • 36. Would that Job were tried to the end, because he answers like wicked men.
  • 37. For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God."
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