Job 34
Amplified Bible
Elihu Vindicates God’s Justice
34 Elihu continued his discourse and said,
2
“Hear my words, you wise men,
And listen to me, you who have [so much] knowledge.
3
“For the ear puts words to the test
As the palate tastes food.
4
“Let us choose for ourselves that which is right;
Let us know among ourselves what is good.
5
“For Job has said, ‘I am righteous [and innocent],
But God has taken away my right;(A)
6
Although I am right, I am accounted a liar.
My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
7
“What man is like Job,
Who drinks up derision like water,
8
Who goes in company with those who do evil
And walks with wicked men?
9
“For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
When he takes delight and is pleased with God and obeys Him.’
10
“Therefore hear me, you men of understanding.
Far be it from God that He would do wickedness,
And from the Almighty to do wrong.
11
“For God pays a man according to his work,
And He will make every man find [appropriate] compensation according to his way.
12
“Surely God will not act wickedly,
Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.
13
“Who put God in charge over the earth?
And who has laid on Him the whole world?
14
“If God should determine to do so,
If He should gather to Himself [that is, withdraw from man] His [life-giving] spirit and His breath,
15
All flesh would perish together,
And man would return to dust.(B)
16
“If you now have understanding, hear this;
Listen to the sound of my words.
17
“Shall one who hates justice [and is an enemy of right] govern?
And will you condemn Him who is just and mighty?
18
“God who says to a king, ‘You are worthless and vile,’
Or to princes and nobles, ‘You are wicked and evil’?
19
“Who is not partial to princes,
Nor does He regard the rich above 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,
And the powerful are taken away without a [human] hand.
21
“For God’s eyes are on the ways of a man,
And He sees all his steps.(C)
22
“There is no darkness nor deep shadow
Where the evildoers may hide themselves.
23
“For He sets no appointed time for a man,
That he should appear before Him in judgment.
24
“He breaks mighty men without inquiry,
And sets others in their place.(D)
25
“Therefore He knows of their works,
And He overthrows them in the night,
So that they are crushed and destroyed.
26
“He strikes them like the wicked
In a public place,
27
Because they turned aside from following Him
And would not consider or show regard for any of His ways,(E)
28
So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him,
And He heard the cry of the afflicted.(F)
29
“When He keeps quiet, who then can condemn?
When He hides His face [withdrawing His favor and help], who then can behold Him [and make supplication to Him],
Whether it be a nation or a man by himself?—
30
So that godless men would not rule
Nor be snares for the people.
31
“For has anyone said to God,
‘I have endured my chastisement;
I will not offend anymore;
32
Teach me what I do not see [in regard to how I have sinned];
If I have done wrong (injustice, unrighteousness),
I will not do it again’?
33
“Shall God’s retribution [for your sins] be on your terms, because you refuse to accept it?
For you must do the choosing, and not I;
Therefore say what you [truthfully] know.
34
“Men of understanding will tell me,
Indeed, every wise man who hears me [will agree],
35
‘Job speaks without knowledge,
And his words are without wisdom and insight.
36
‘Job ought to be tried [a]to the limit
Because he answers like wicked men!
37
‘For he adds rebellion [in his unsubmissive, defiant attitude toward God] to his [unacknowledged] sin;
He claps his hands among us [in open mockery and contempt of God],
And he multiplies his words [of accusation] against God.’”
Footnotes
- Job 34:36 Or to the end.
Job 34
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
34 Then Elihu continued,[a] saying:
2 Hear my words, you wise ones,
and listen to me, you knowledgeable ones.
3 Doesn’t the ear test words
as the palate tastes food?
4 Let us judge for ourselves what is right;
let us decide together what is good.
5 For Job has declared, ‘I am righteous,
yet God has deprived me of justice.(A)
6 Would I lie about my case?(B)
My wound[b] is incurable,
though I am without transgression.’
7 What man is like Job?
He drinks derision(C) like water.
8 He keeps company with evildoers
and walks with wicked men.
9 For he has said, ‘A man gains nothing
when he becomes God’s friend.’(D)
10 Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding.
It is impossible for God to do wrong,
and for the Almighty to act unjustly.(E)
11 For he repays(F) a person according to his deeds,
and he gives him what his conduct deserves.[c]
12 Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly
and the Almighty does not pervert justice.(G)
13 Who gave him authority over the earth?
Who put him in charge of the entire world?(H)
14 If he put his mind to it
and withdrew the spirit(I) and breath he gave,
15 every living thing would perish together
and mankind would return to the dust.(J)
16 If you have understanding, hear this;
listen to what I have to say.
17 Could one who hates justice govern the world?
Will you condemn the mighty Righteous One,(K)
18 who says to a king, ‘Worthless man! ’
and to nobles, ‘Wicked men! ’?(L)
19 God is not partial(M) to princes
and does not favour the rich over the poor,
for they are all the work of his hands.
20 They die suddenly in the middle of the night;
people shudder, then pass away.
Even the mighty are removed without effort.
21 For his eyes watch over a man’s ways,
and he observes all his steps.(N)
22 There is no darkness, no deep darkness,
where evildoers can hide.(O)
23 God does not need to examine a person further,
that one should[d] approach him in court.
24 He shatters the mighty without an investigation
and sets others in their place.(P)
25 Therefore, he recognises their deeds(Q)
and overthrows them by night, and they are crushed.
26 In full view of the public,[e]
he strikes them for their wickedness,
27 because they turned aside from following him
and did not understand any of his ways
28 but caused the poor to cry out to him,
and he heard the outcry of the needy.(R)
29 But when God is silent, who can declare him guilty?
When he hides his face, who can see him?
Yet he watches over both individuals and nations,
30 so that godless men should not rule
or ensnare the people.
31 Suppose someone says to God,
‘I have endured my punishment;
I will no longer act wickedly.
32 Teach me what I cannot see;
if I have done wrong, I won’t do it again.’
33 Should God repay you on your terms
when you have rejected his?
You must choose, not I!
So declare what you know.
34 Reasonable men will say to me,
along with the wise men who hear me,
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge;(S)
his words are without insight.’
36 If only Job were tested to the limit,
because his answers are like those of wicked men.
37 For he adds rebellion to his sin;
he scornfully claps(T) in our presence,
while multiplying(U) his words against God.
Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2024 by Holman Bible Publishers.