Job 34

Elihu calls the wise to judge Job’s words

¹Then Elihu answered: ²Hear my words, you who are wise; \q listen to me, you who have knowledge. ³For the ear tests words \q as the tongue tastes food. ⁴Let us choose for ourselves what is right; \q let us decide together what is good. ⁵For Job has said, “I am in the right, \q but God has denied me justice. ⁶Though I am in the right, I am called a liar; \q my wound from the arrow cannot be healed, though I have not rebelled.”^{a 7}Who is there like Job, \q who drinks up scorn like water? ⁸He keeps company with evildoers \q and goes about with the wicked. ⁹For he has said, “It does no one any good \q to be on good terms with God.” ¹⁰So listen to me, you people of understanding: \q God would never do evil, \q the Almighty would never do wrong. ¹¹For he pays people back for what they do; \q he brings on each one what their conduct deserves. ¹²Truly, God will never do wrong; \q the Almighty will never twist justice. ¹³Who gave him charge over the earth? \q Who put him over the whole world? ¹⁴If he were to set his mind on himself alone \q and gather back to himself his spirit and breath,^{b 15}every living thing would die at once, \q and human beings would return to dust. ¹⁶If you have understanding, hear this; \q listen to what I am saying. ¹⁷Can one who hates justice rule? \q Will you condemn the one who is righteous and mighty? ¹⁸Would anyone say to a king, “You worthless man!” \q or to nobles, “You wicked men!”?^{c 19}How much less to one who shows no favor to princes \q and does not regard the rich above the poor, \q for they are all the work of his hands! ²⁰In an instant they die; at midnight people are shaken and pass away; \q the mighty are removed, and no human hand does it. ²¹For his eyes are on the ways of everyone; \q he sees every step they take. ²²There is no darkness, no deep shadow, \q where evildoers can hide. ²³For he does not need to set a time for anyone \q to come before God for judgment.^{d 24}He shatters the mighty without any inquiry \q and sets others in their place. ²⁵Because he knows what they do, \q he overthrows them in the night, and they are crushed. ²⁶He strikes them down for their wickedness \q where everyone can see, ²⁷because they turned away from following him \q and paid no attention to any of his ways, ²⁸so that they made the cry of the poor reach him, \q and he heard the cry of the afflicted. ²⁹If he stays silent, who can condemn him? \q If he hides his face, who can see him? \q Yet he rules over nation and individual alike, ³⁰so that the godless may not rule \q and lay snares for the people.^{e 31}Suppose someone says to God, “I have borne my punishment; \q I will not do wrong again.^{f 32}Teach me what I cannot see; \q if I have done wrong, I will do it no more.” ³³Should he repay on your terms when you have rejected his way? \q You must choose, not I; \q so tell us what you know.^{g 34}People of understanding will say to me, \q and so will any wise person who hears me: ³⁵Job speaks without knowledge; \q his words show no insight. ³⁶If only Job were tested to the limit \q for answering like the wicked!^{h 37}For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands at us in scorn \q and piles up his words against God.