Job 34

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Then Elihu continued and said:	1 Elihu continued his speech. He said:
2 Hear, O wise men, my discourse, and you that have knowledge, hear me!	2 And now, you sages, listen to what I say, lend me your ears, you learned men.
3 For the ear tests words, as the taste does food.	3 The ear distinguishes the value of what is said, just as the palate can tel one food from another.
4 Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn between us what is good.	4 Let us consider together God's ruling and decide what we all mean by good.
5 For Job has said, "I am innocent, but God has taken what is my due.	5 Job has been saying, 'I am upright and God denies me fair judgement.
6 Notwithstanding my right I am set at nought; in my wound the arrow rankles, sinless though I am."	6 My judge is treating me cruel y, my wound is incurable, for no fault of mine.'
7 What man is like Job? He drinks in blasphemies like water,	7 Can anyone else exist like Job, who laps up mockery like water,
8 Keeps company with evildoers and goes along with wicked men,	8 who consorts with evil-doers and marches in step with the wicked?
9 When he says, "It profits a man nought that he is pleasing to God."	9 Did he not say, 'No one derives any benefit from enjoying the society of God'?
10 Therefore, men of understanding, hearken to me: far be it from God to do wickedness; far from the Almighty to do wrong!	10 Listen to me then, like intel igent people. Far be evil from God or injustice from Shaddai!
11 Rather, he requites men for their conduct, and brings home to a man his way of life.	11 For he pays people back for what they do, treating each as his own conduct deserves.
12 Surely, God cannot act wickedly, the Almighty cannot violate justice.	12 Be sure of it: God never does wrong, Shaddai does not pervert what is just.
13 Who gave him government over the earth, or who else set all the land in its place?	13 Did someone else entrust the world to his care was he given charge of the universe by someoneelse?
14 If he were to take back his spirit to himself, withdraw to himself his breath,	14 If he were to recal his spirit, to concentrate his breath back in himself,
15 All flesh would perish together, and man would return to the dust.	15 all flesh would instantly perish and al people would return to dust.
16 Now, do you, O Job, hear this! Hearken to the words I speak!	16 If you have any intel igence, listen to this, lend your ear to the sound of my words.
17 Can an enemy of justice indeed be in control, or will you condemn the supreme Just One,	17 Could an enemy of fair judgement ever govern? Would you dare condemn the Upright One, theAlmighty,
18 Who says to a king, "You are worthless!" and to nobles, "You are wicked!"	18 who says to a king, 'You are a scoundrel!' and to nobles, 'You are wicked!',
19 Who neither favors the person of princes, nor respects the rich more than the poor? For they are all the work of his hands;	19 who is unimpressed by princes and makes no distinction between rich and poor, since al alike havebeen made by him?
20 in a moment they die, even at midnight. He brings on nobles, and takes them away, removing the powerful without lifting a hand;	20 They die suddenly, at dead of night, they perish -- these great ones -- and disappear: it costs him noeffort to remove a tyrant.
21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he beholds all his steps.	21 For his eyes keep watch on human ways, and he observes every step.
22 There is no darkness so dense that evildoers can hide in it.	22 No darkness, no shadow dark as death where wrong-doers can hide!
23 For he forewarns no man of his time to come before God in judgment.	23 He serves no writ on anyone, no summons to appear before God's court:
24 Without a trial he breaks the mighty, and sets others in their stead,	24 he breaks the powerful without enquiry and sets up others in their places.
25 Therefore he discerns their works; he turns at night and crushes them.	25 He knows the sort of things they do! He overthrows them at night, to be trampled on.
	26 He beats them like criminals chained up for al to see,
27 Because they turned away from him and heeded none of his ways,	27 since they have turned their backs on him, having understood so little of his ways
28 But caused the cries of the poor to reach him, so that he heard the plea of the afflicted.	28 as to make the cries of the weak rise to him and let him hear the appeal of the afflicted.
29 If he remains tranquil, who then can condemn? If he hides his face, who then can behold him?	29 But if he is stil silent and no one can move him, if he veils his face, so that no one can see him, he istaking pity on nations and individuals,
	30 is setting some wrong-doer free from the meshes of affliction.
31 When anyone says to God, "I was misguided; I will offend no more.	31 When such a one says to God, 'I was misled, I shal not do wrong any more;
32 Teach me wherein I have sinned; if I have done wrong, I will do so no more,"	32 although I have sinned, instruct me; although I did wrong, I will not do it again,'
33 Would you then say that God must punish, since you reject what he is doing? It is you who must choose, not I; speak, therefore, what you know.	33 in your opinion, should he punish such a one -- you who have rejected his decisions? This is for youto decide -- not for me!- so kindly enlighten us!
34 Men of understanding will say to me, every wise man who hears my views:	34 Ordinary sensible people, however, wil say to me, and so wil any sage who has been listening tome,
35 "Job speaks without intelligence, and his words are without sense."	35 'Job's words are spoken without any knowledge, what he says shows no intel igence.
36 Let Job be tried to the limit, since his answers are those of the impious;	36 Kindly examine him thoroughly, since his answers imply that he is a criminal.
37 For he is adding rebellion to his sin by brushing off our arguments and addressing many words to God.	37 For to his sin he now adds rebellion, bringing law to an end among us and heaping abuse on God.'