Job 34–35

34Then Elihu said:

²“Hear my words, you wise men;

listen to me,ⁿ you men of learning.

³For the ear tests words

as the tongue tastes food.^o

⁴Let us discern for ourselves what is right;^p

let us learn together what is good.^q

⁵“Job says, ‘I am innocent,^r

but God denies me justice.^s

⁶Although I am right,

I am considered a liar;^t

although I am guiltless,^u

his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’^v

⁷Is there anyone like Job,

who drinks scorn like water?^w

⁸He keeps company with evildoers;

he associates with the wicked.^x

⁹For he says, ‘There is no profit

in trying to please God.’^y

¹⁰“So listen to me,^z you men of understanding.^a

Far be it from God to do evil,^b

from the Almighty to do wrong.^c

¹¹He repays everyone for what they have done;^d

he brings on them what their conduct deserves.^e

¹²It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,^f

that the Almighty would pervert justice.^g

¹³Who appointed^h him over the earth?

Who put him in charge of the whole world?ⁱ

¹⁴If it were his intention

and he withdrew his spirit^aj and breath,^k

¹⁵all humanity would perish^l together

and mankind would return to the dust.^m

¹⁶“If you have understanding,ⁿ hear this;

listen to what I say.^o

¹⁷Can someone who hates justice govern?^p

Will you condemn the just and mighty One?^q

¹⁸Is he not the One who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’

and to nobles,^r ‘You are wicked,’^s

¹⁹who shows no partiality^t to princes

and does not favor the rich over the poor,^u

for they are all the work of his hands?^v

²⁰They die in an instant, in the middle of the night;^w

the people are shaken and they pass away;

the mighty are removed without human hand.^x

²¹“His eyes are on the ways of mortals;^y

he sees their every step.^z

²²There is no deep shadow,^a no utter darkness,^b

where evildoers can hide.^c

²³God has no need to examine people further,^d

that they should come before him for judgment.^e

²⁴Without inquiry he shatters^f the mighty^g

and sets up others in their place.^h

²⁵Because he takes note of their deeds,ⁱ

he overthrows them in the night^j and they are crushed.^k

²⁶He punishes them for their wickedness^l

where everyone can see them,

²⁷because they turned from following him^m

and had no regard for any of his ways.ⁿ

²⁸They caused the cry of the poor to come before him,

so that he heard the cry of the needy.^o

²⁹But if he remains silent,^p who can condemn him?^q

If he hides his face,^r who can see him?

Yet he is over individual and nation alike,^s

³⁰to keep the godless^t from ruling,^u

from laying snares for the people.^v

³¹“Suppose someone says to God,

‘I am guilty^w but will offend no more.

³²Teach me what I cannot see;^x

if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’^y

³³Should God then reward you on your terms,

when you refuse to repent?^z

You must decide, not I;

so tell me what you know.

³⁴“Men of understanding declare,

wise men who hear me say to me,

³⁵‘Job speaks without knowledge;^a

his words lack insight.’^b

³⁶Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost

for answering like a wicked man!^c

³⁷To his sin he adds rebellion;

scornfully he claps his hands^d among us

and multiplies his words^e against God.”^f

35Then Elihu said:

²“Do you think this is just?

You say, ‘I am in the right,^g not God.’^h

³Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me,^a

and what do I gain by not sinning?’ⁱ

⁴“I would like to reply to you

and to your friends with you.

⁵Look up at the heavens^j and see;

gaze at the clouds so high above you.^k

⁶If you sin, how does that affect him?

If your sins are many, what does that do to him?^l

⁷If you are righteous, what do you give to him,^m

or what does he receiveⁿ from your hand?^o

⁸Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself,^p

and your righteousness only other people.^q

⁹“People cry out^r under a load of oppression;^s

they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.^t

¹⁰But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,^u

who gives songs^v in the night,^w

¹¹who teaches^x us^y more than he teaches^b the beasts of the earth

and makes us wiser than^c the birds in the sky?’

¹²He does not answer^z when people cry out

because of the arrogance^a of the wicked.^b

¹³Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;

the Almighty pays no attention to it.^c

¹⁴How much less, then, will he listen

when you say that you do not see him,^d

that your case^e is before him

and you must wait for him,^f

¹⁵and further, that his anger never punishes^g

and he does not take the least notice of wickedness.^dh

¹⁶So Job opens his mouth with empty talk;ⁱ

without knowledge he multiplies words.”^j