Job 34, side by side

¹Then Elihu continued:

¹Furthermore Elihu answered and said,

²“Hear my words, O wise men; give ear to me, O men of learning.

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

³For the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food.

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

⁴Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.

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

⁵For Job has declared, ‘I am righteous, yet God has deprived me of justice.

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

⁶Would I lie about my case? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’

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

⁷What man is like Job, who drinks up derision like water?

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

⁸He keeps company with evildoers 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 in God.’

⁹For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.

¹⁰Therefore listen to me, O men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wrong, and from the Almighty to act unjustly.

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 according to a man’s deeds He repays him; according to a man’s ways He brings consequences.

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

¹²Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice.

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

¹³Who gave Him charge over the earth? Who appointed Him over the whole world?

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

¹⁴If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,

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

¹⁵all flesh would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.

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

¹⁶If you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words.

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

¹⁷Could one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One,

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

¹⁸who says to kings, ‘You are worthless!’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’

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

¹⁹who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all 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.

²⁰They die in an instant, in the middle of the night. The people convulse and pass away; the mighty are removed without human 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.

²¹For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees his every step.

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

²²There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity can hide.

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

²³For God need not examine a man further or have him approach for judgment.

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

²⁴He shatters the mighty without inquiry and sets up others in their place.

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

²⁵Therefore, He recognizes their deeds; He overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.

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

²⁶He strikes them for their wickedness in full view,

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

²⁷because they turned aside from Him and had no regard for any of His ways.

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

²⁸They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him, and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.

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

²⁹But when He remains silent, who can condemn Him? When He hides His face, who can see Him? Yet He watches over both man and nation,

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 godless men should not rule or lay snares for the people.

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

³¹Suppose someone says to God, ‘I have endured my punishment; I will offend no more.

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

³²Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’

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

³³Should God repay you on your own terms when you have disavowed His? You must choose, not I; so tell me 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 declare to me, and the wise men who hear me will say:

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

³⁵‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’

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

³⁶If only Job were tried to the utmost for answering like a wicked man.

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.