Job 34 — NETB

34Verse 1Elihu answered:^{Verse 2}“Listen to my words, you wise men;
hear me, you learned men.
^{Verse 3}For the ear assesses words
as the mouth tastes food.
^{Verse 4}Let us evaluate for ourselves what is right;
let us come to know among ourselves what is good.
^{Verse 5}For Job says, ‘I am innocent,
but God turns away my right.
^{Verse 6}Concerning my right, should I lie?
My wound is incurable,
although I am without transgression.’
^{Verse 7}What man is like Job,
who drinks derision like water!
^{Verse 8}He goes about in company with evildoers,
he goes along with wicked men.
^{Verse 9}For he says, ‘It does not profit a man
when he makes his delight with God.’

God is Not Unjust

^{Verse 10}“Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding.
Far be it from God to do wickedness,
from the Almighty to do evil.
^{Verse 11}For he repays a person for his work,
and according to the conduct of a person,
he causes the consequences to find him.
^{Verse 12}Indeed, in truth, God does not act wickedly,
and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
^{Verse 13}Who entrusted to him the earth?
And who put him over the whole world?
^{Verse 14}If God were to set his heart on it,
and gather in his spirit and his breath,
^{Verse 15}all flesh would perish together
and human beings would return to dust.

God Is Impartial and Omniscient

^{Verse 16}“If you have understanding, listen to this,
hear what I have to say.
^{Verse 17}Do you really think
that one who hates justice can govern?
And will you declare guilty
the supremely righteous One,
^{Verse 18}who says to a king, ‘Worthless man’
and to nobles, ‘Wicked men,’
^{Verse 19}who shows no partiality to princes,
and does not take note of the rich more than the poor,
because all of them are the work of his hands?
^{Verse 20}In a moment they die, in the middle of the night,
people are shaken and they pass away.
The mighty are removed effortlessly.
^{Verse 21}For his eyes are on the ways of an individual,
he observes all a person’s steps.
^{Verse 22}There is no darkness, and no deep darkness,
where evildoers can hide themselves.
^{Verse 23}For he does not still consider a person,
that he should come before God in judgment.
^{Verse 24}He shatters the great without inquiry,
and sets up others in their place.
^{Verse 25}Therefore, he knows their deeds,
he overthrows them in the night
and they are crushed.
^{Verse 26}He strikes them for their wickedness,
in a place where people can see,
^{Verse 27}because they have turned away from following him,
and have not understood any of his ways,
^{Verse 28}so that they caused the cry of the poor
to come before him,
so that he hears the cry of the needy.
^{Verse 29}But if God is quiet, who can condemn him?
If he hides his face, then who can see him?
Yet he is over the individual and the nation alike,
^{Verse 30}so that the godless man should not rule,
and not lay snares for the people.

Job Is Foolish to Rebel

^{Verse 31}“Has anyone said to God,
‘I have endured chastisement,
but I will not act wrongly any more.
^{Verse 32}Teach me what I cannot see.
If I have done evil, I will do so no more.’
^{Verse 33}Is it your opinion that God should recompense it,
because you reject this?
But you must choose, and not I,
so tell us what you know.
^{Verse 34}Men of understanding say to me –
any wise man listening to me says –
^{Verse 35}that Job speaks without knowledge
and his words are without understanding.
^{Verse 36}But Job will be tested to the end,
because his answers are like those of wicked men.
^{Verse 37}For he adds transgression to his sin;
in our midst he claps his hands,
and multiplies his words against God.”