| 1 | Moreover Elihu answered, |
| 2 | 'Hear my words, you wise men; Give ear to me, you who have knowledge. |
| 3 | For the ear tries words, As the palate tastes food. |
| 4 | Let us choose for us that which is right. Let us know among ourselves what is good. |
| 5 | For Job has said, 'I am righteous, God has taken away my right: |
| 6 | Notwithstanding my right I am considered a liar; My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.' |
| 7 | What man is like Job, Who drinks up scoffing like water, |
| 8 | Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, And walks with wicked men? |
| 9 | For he has said, 'It profits 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. |
| 11 | For the work of a man will he render to him, And cause every man to find according to his ways. |
| 12 | Yes surely, God will not do wickedly, Neither will the Almighty pervert justice. |
| 13 | Who gave him a charge over the earth? Or who has appointed him over the whole world? |
| 14 | If he set his heart on himself, If he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath; |
| 15 | All flesh would perish together, And man would turn again to dust. |
| 16 | 'If now you have understanding, hear this. Listen to the voice of my words. |
| 17 | Shall even one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty?-- |
| 18 | Who says to a king, 'Vile!' Or to nobles, 'Wicked!' |
| 19 | Who doesn't respect the persons of princes, Nor regards the rich more than the poor; For they all are the work of his hands. |
| 20 | In a moment they die, even at midnight; The people are shaken and pass away, The mighty are taken away without hand. |
| 21 | 'For his eyes are on the ways of a man, He sees all his goings. |
| 22 | There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. |
| 23 | For he doesn't need to consider a man further, That he should go before God in judgment. |
| 24 | He breaks in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out, And sets others in their place. |
| 25 | Therefore he takes knowledge of their works. He overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed. |
| 26 | He strikes them as wicked men In the open sight of others; |
| 27 | Because they turned aside from following him, And wouldn't have regard in any of his ways: |
| 28 | So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, He heard the cry of the afflicted. |
| 29 | When he gives quietness, who then can condemn? When he hides his face, who then can see him? Alike whether to a nation, or to a man: |
| 30 | That the godless man may not reign, That there be no one to ensnare the people. |
| 31 | 'For has any said to God, 'I am guilty, but I will not offend any more. |
| 32 | Teach me that which I don't see. If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more'? |
| 33 | Shall his recompense be as you desire, that you refuse it? For you must choose, and not I. Therefore speak what you know. |
| 34 | Men of understanding will tell me, Yes, every wise man who hears me: |
| 35 | 'Job speaks without knowledge, His words are without wisdom.' |
| 36 | I wish that Job were tried to the end, Because of his answering like wicked men. |
| 37 | For he adds rebellion to his sin. He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God.' |