1 Then Elihu answered and said:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men,
and give ear to me, you who know;
3 forgch. 12:11 the ear tests words
as the palate tastes food.
4 Let us chooseh1 Thess. 5:21, 22 what is right;
let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job has said, ‘I amiSee ch. 33:9 in the right,
andjch. 27:2 God has taken away my right;
6 in spite of my right I am counted a liar;
my wound is incurable, though I amkch. 33:9 without transgression. ’
7 What man is like Job,
wholSee ch. 15:16 drinks up scoffing like water,
8 who travels in company with evildoers
and walksm[Ps. 1:1] with wicked men?
9 Fornch. 9:22, 23, 30, 31; 21:7, 15; 24:1; [ch. 35:3; Mal. 3:14] 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 shouldoch. 36:23; Gen. 18:25; Deut. 32:4; 2 Chr. 19:7; Ps. 92:15; Rom. 9:14 do wickedness,
and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.
11 For according topPs. 62:12; Prov. 24:12; Matt. 16:27; Rom. 2:6; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Pet. 1:17; Rev. 22:12 the work of a man he will repay him,
andqJer. 17:10; 32:19; Ezek. 33:20 according to his ways he will make it befall him.
12 Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,
andrSee ch. 8:3 the Almighty will not pervert justice.
13 Who gave him charge over the earth,
and whosSee ch. 38:4-7 laid on him the whole world?
14 If he shouldt[ch. 2:3] set his heart to it
anduPs. 104:29; [Ps. 146:4] gather to himself hisvch. 32:8 spirit and his breath,
15 all flesh would perish together,
and man wouldwSee ch. 10:9 return to dust.
16 If you have understanding, hear this;
listen to what I say.
17 x[Gen. 18:25] Shall one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18 whoyEx. 22:28 says to a king, ‘Worthless one, ’
and to nobles, ‘Wicked man, ’
19 whozDeut. 10:17; 2 Chr. 19:7; Acts 10:34; Rom. 2:11; Gal. 2:6; Eph. 6:9; Col. 3:25; 1 Pet. 1:17 shows no partiality to princes,
nor regards the richa[James 2:5] more than the poor,
forbSee ch. 31:15 they are all the work of his hands?
20 In a momentcch. 21:13 they die;
atdEx. 11:4; [ch. 27:20; 36:20] midnight the people are shaken and pass away,
and the mighty are taken away byeDan. 8:25; [Lam. 4:6] no human hand.
21 For his eyes are onfch. 14:16; See ch. 31:4 the ways of a man,
and he sees all hisfch. 14:16; See ch. 31:4 steps.
22 There is nog[Ps. 139:12; Amos 9:2, 3; Heb. 4:13] gloom orhSee ch. 3:5 deep darkness
where evildoers may hide themselves.
23 For God has no need to consider a man further,
that he should go before God inich. 14:3 judgment.
24 HejPs. 2:9 shatters the mighty without investigation
and setslSee ch. 8:19 others in their place.
25 Thus, knowing their works,
hemProv. 12:7 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 fromn1 Sam. 15:11; Ps. 28:5; Isa. 5:12 following him
and had no regard for any of his ways,
28 so that theyoch. 35:9; James 5:4; [Gen. 18:20, 21] caused the cry of the poor to come to him,
and hepEx. 3:7; 22:23; Isa. 32:17 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 rch. 35:11; 36:22; Ps. 19:12; 86:11 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;
thereforesch. 33:32 declare what you know.
34 Men of understanding will say to me,
and the wise man who hears me will say:
35 ‘JobtSee ch. 35:16 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;
heuSee ch. 27:23 claps his hands among us
and multiplies his words against God. ”