| 1 Then Elihu said: | 1 After proclaiming these things, Eliu now had this to say: |
| 2 "Hear my words, you wise men, and give ear to me, you who know; | 2 May the wise hear my words, and may the educated listen to me. |
| 3 for the ear tests words as the palate tastes food. | 3 For the ear examines words, and the mouth discerns foods by the taste. |
| 4 Let us choose what is right; let us determine among ourselves what is good. | 4 Let us choose judgment for ourselves, and let us consider among ourselves what is best. |
| 5 For Job has said, 'I am innocent, and God has taken away my right; | 5 For Job has said: “I am just, yet God has subverted my judgment. |
| 6 in spite of my right I am counted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.' | 6 For, within my judgment, there is a lie: my vehement barbs are without any sin.” |
| 7 What man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing like water, | 7 What man is there that is like Job, who drinks up derision as if it were water, |
| 8 who goes in company with evildoers and walks with wicked men? | 8 who accompanies those who work iniquity, and who walks with impious men? |
| 9 For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing that he should take delight in God.' | 9 For he has said, “Man will not please God, even if he should travel with him.” |
| 10 "Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding, far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong. | 10 Therefore, prudent men, hear me: impiety is far from God, and iniquity is far from the Almighty. |
| 11 For according to the work of a man he will requite him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him. | 11 For he will restore to man his works, and according to the ways of each, he will repay them. |
| 12 Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice. | 12 For truly, God will not condemn in vain, nor will the Almighty repudiate judgment. |
| 13 Who gave him charge over the earth and who laid on him the whole world? | 13 What other is established over the earth? Or whom has he placed over the world, which he made? |
| 14 If he should take back his spirit to himself, and gather to himself his breath, | 14 But, if he directs his heart towards him, he will draw his spirit and breath to himself. |
| 15 all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust. | 15 All flesh will fail together, and man will return to ashes. |
| 16 "If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say. | 16 Therefore, if you have understanding, hear what is said, and heed the sound of my eloquence. |
| 17 Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty, | 17 Is he that does not love judgment able to be corrected? And how can you so greatly condemn him who is just? |
| 18 who says to a king, 'Worthless one,' and to nobles, 'Wicked man'; | 18 He says to the king, “You are an apostate.” He calls commanders impious. |
| 19 who shows no partiality to princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands? | 19 He does not accept the reputation of leaders; nor does he recognize the tyrant as he contends against the poor. For all are the work of his hands. |
| 20 In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand. | 20 They will die suddenly, and the people will be troubled in the middle of the night, but they will pass through it, and the violent will be taken away without a hand. |
| 21 "For his eyes are upon the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps. | 21 For his eyes are upon the ways of men, and he examines all of their steps. |
| 22 There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves. | 22 There is no darkness and no shadow of death, where those who work iniquity may be hidden. |
| 23 For he has not appointed a time for any man to go before God in judgment. | 23 For it is no longer within the power of man to enter into judgment with God. |
| 24 He shatters the mighty without investigation, and sets others in their place. | 24 He will break into many innumerable pieces, and he will cause others to stand up in their place. |
| 25 Thus, knowing their works, he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed. | 25 For he knows their works, and, as a result, he will bring the night, and they will be crushed. |
| 26 He strikes them for their wickedness in the sight of men, | 26 Just as the impious do, he has struck them in a place where they can be seen. |
| 27 because they turned aside from following him, and had no regard for any of his ways, | 27 They, as if with great diligence, have withdrawn from him, and they refused to understand all his ways, |
| 28 so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted-- | 28 so that they caused the outcry of the needy to reach him, and he heard the voice of the poor. |
| 29 When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or a man?-- | 29 For, when he grants peace, who is there that can condemn? When he hides his face, who is there that can contemplate him, either among the nations, or among all men? |
| 30 that a godless man should not reign, that he should not ensnare the people. | 30 He causes a hypocritical man to reign because of the sins of the people. |
| 31 "For has any one said to God, 'I have borne chastisement; I will not offend any more; | 31 Therefore, since I have been speaking about God, I will not prevent you from doing the same. |
| 32 teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more? | 32 If I have erred, you may teach me; if I have spoken unfairly, I will add no more. |
| 33 Will he then make requital to suit you, because you reject it? For you must choose, and not I; therefore declare what you know. | 33 Does God require this of you because it is displeasing to you? For you were the first to speak, and not I. But if you know something better, speak. |
| 34 Men of understanding will say to me, and the wise man who hears me will say: | 34 Let men of understanding speak to me, and let a wise man listen to me. |
| 35 'Job speaks without knowledge, his words are without insight.' | 35 But Job has been speaking foolishly, and his words contain unsound teaching. |
| 36 Would that Job were tried to the end, because he answers like wicked men. | 36 My father, let Job be tested even to the end; may you not retreat from a man of iniquity. |
| 37 For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us, and multiplies his words against God." | 37 For he adds blasphemy on top of his sins; nevertheless, let him be constrained to be among us, and then let him provoke God to judgment with his speeches. |