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.