Job 34

¹ Moreover Elihu answered and said,

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

³ For the ear trieth words, As the palate tasteth food.

⁴ Let us choose for us that which is right: Let us know among ourselves what is good.

⁵ For Job hath said, I am righteous, And God hath taken away my right:

⁶ Notwithstanding my right I am accounted a liar; My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.

⁷ What man is like Job, Who drinketh up scoffing like water,

⁸ Who goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, And walketh with wicked men?

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

¹⁰ Therefore 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.

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

¹² Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly, Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.

¹³ Who gave him a charge over the earth? Or who hath disposed the whole world?

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

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

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

¹⁷ Shall even one that hateth justice govern? And wilt thou condemn him that is righteous and mighty?—

¹⁸ Him that saith to a king, Thou art vile, Or to nobles, Ye are wicked;

¹⁹ That respecteth not the persons of princes, Nor regardeth 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, And the mighty are taken away without hand.

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

²² There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

²³ For he needeth not further to consider a man, That he should go before God in judgment.

²⁴ He breaketh in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out, And setteth others in their stead.

²⁵ Therefore he taketh knowledge of their works; And he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

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

²⁷ Because they turned aside from following him, And would not have regard in any of his ways:

²⁸ So that they caused the cry of the poor to come unto him, And he heard the cry of the afflicted.

²⁹ When he giveth quietness, who then can condemn? And when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? Alike whether it be done unto a nation, or unto a man:

³⁰ That the godless man reign not, That there be none to ensnare the people.

³¹ For hath any said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:

³² That which I see not teach thou me: If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?

³³ Shall his recompense be as thou wilt, that thou refusest it? For thou must choose, and not I: Therefore speak what thou knowest.

³⁴ Men of understanding will say unto me, Yea, every wise man that heareth me:

³⁵ Job speaketh without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom.

³⁶ Would that Job were tried unto the end, Because of his answering like wicked men.

³⁷ For he addeth rebellion unto his sin; He clappeth his hands among us, And multiplieth his words against God.