Job 34, side by side

¹Moreover Elihu answered,

¹Furthermore Elihu answered and said,

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

²Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.

³For the ear tries words, as the palate tastes food.

³For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.

⁴Let us choose for us that which is right. Let us know among ourselves what is good.

⁴Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.

⁵For Job has said, ‘I am righteous, God has taken away my right:

⁵For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.

⁶Notwithstanding my right I am considered a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.’

⁶Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable without transgression.

⁷What man is like Job, who drinks scorn like water,

⁷What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?

⁸Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, and walks with wicked men?

⁸Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.

⁹For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.’

⁹For 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, that he should do wickedness, from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.

¹⁰Therefore 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.

¹¹For the work of a man he will render to him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.

¹¹For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.

¹²Yes surely, God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert justice.

¹²Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.

¹³Who put him in charge of the earth? Or who has appointed him over the whole world?

¹³Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?

¹⁴If he set his heart on himself, if he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath,

¹⁴If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;

¹⁵all flesh would perish together, and man would turn again to dust.

¹⁵All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

¹⁶“If now you have understanding, hear this. Listen to the voice of my words.

¹⁶If now thou hast understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words.

¹⁷Should even one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty?—

¹⁷Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?

¹⁸Who says to a king, ‘Vile!’ or to nobles, ‘Wicked!’?

¹⁸Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?

¹⁹He doesn’t respect the persons of princes, nor respect the rich more than the poor; for they all are the work of his hands.

¹⁹How 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.

²⁰In a moment they die, even at midnight. The people are shaken and pass away. The mighty are taken away without a hand.

²⁰In 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 a man. He sees all his goings.

²¹For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.

²²There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

²²There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

²³For he doesn’t need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.

²³For he will not lay upon man more than right; that he should enter into judgment with God.

²⁴He breaks mighty men in pieces in ways past finding out, and sets others in their place.

²⁴He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.

²⁵Therefore he takes knowledge of their works. He overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

²⁵Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

²⁶He strikes them as wicked men in the open sight of others;

²⁶He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;

²⁷because they turned away from following him, and wouldn’t pay attention to any of his ways,

²⁷Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways:

²⁸so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him. He heard the cry of the afflicted.

²⁸So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.

²⁹When he gives quietness, who then can condemn? When he hides his face, who then can see him? He is over a nation or a man alike,

²⁹When 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:

³⁰that the godless man may not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people.

³⁰That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.

³¹“For has any said to God, ‘I am guilty, but I will not offend any more.

³¹Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:

³²Teach me that which I don’t see. If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?

³²That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.

³³Shall his recompense be as you desire, that you refuse it? For you must choose, and not I. Therefore speak what you know.

³³Should 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.

³⁴Men of understanding will tell me, yes, every wise man who hears me:

³⁴Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto me.

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

³⁵Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom.

³⁶I wish that Job were tried to the end, because of his answering like wicked men.

³⁶My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men.

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

³⁷For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.