| International Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1Elihu continued speaking, and said: | 1Then Elihu said: |
| 2"Listen to what I have to say, you wise men! Pay attention to me, you educated people! | 2"Hear my words, you wise men; listen to me, you men of learning. |
| 3Since the ear tests words like a palate tastes food, | 3For the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food. |
| 4let's choose what's right for us. Let's consider among ourselves what is good." | 4Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good. |
| 5Now this is Job's claim: 'Even though I'm innocent, God has stopped treating me righteously. | 5"Job says, 'I am innocent, but God denies me justice. |
| 6Have I lied concerning the justice that I deserve? My wound is incurable, though transgression cannot be attributed to me.' | 6Although I am right, I am considered a liar; although I am guiltless, his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.' |
| 7"What man is like Job, who drinks mockery like water, | 7Is there anyone like Job, who drinks scorn like water? |
| 8traffics in those who practice evil, and walks with wicked people? | 8He keeps company with evildoers; he associates with the wicked. |
| 9Because he says, 'There's no profit for a man to find joy with God.'" | 9For he says, 'There is no profit in trying to please God.' |
| 10"Therefore you men of understanding, listen to me! Far be it for God to practice wickedness, or the Almighty to do what is wrong, | 10"So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do evil, from the Almighty to do wrong. |
| 11because he repays a person for his behavior; and according to a person's conduct, he lets it happen to him. | 11He repays everyone for what they have done; he brings on them what their conduct deserves. |
| 12Truly, God doesn't practice wickedness, and the Almighty doesn't pervert justice. | 12It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice. |
| 13Who entrusted the earth to him? Who made him responsible for the entire inhabited world? | 13Who appointed him over the earth? Who put him in charge of the whole world? |
| 14If he were to decide to do so, that is, to take back to himself his spirit and breath of life, | 14If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath, |
| 15every living thing would die all at once, and mankind would return to dust." | 15all humanity would perish together and mankind would return to the dust. |
| 16If you have understanding, listen to this! Pay attention to what I have to say: | 16"If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say. |
| 17Can one who hates justice really govern? And if God is righteous and mighty, can you condemn him? | 17Can someone who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One? |
| 18Can one say to a king, 'You're vile!' or to nobles, 'You're wicked!'? | 18Is he not the One who says to kings, 'You are worthless,' and to nobles, 'You are wicked,' |
| 19Who isn't partial to princes? Who doesn't give preference to the nobles over the poor? Nevertheless, all of them are his handiwork. | 19who shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands? |
| 20"They die suddenly, in the middle of the night; people suffer seizures and pass away; even valiant men can be taken away— and not by human hands. | 20They die in an instant, in the middle of the night; the people are shaken and they pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand. |
| 21Yes, Job, his eyes constantly watch the behavior of human beings; he carefully observes their every step. | 21"His eyes are on the ways of mortals; he sees their every step. |
| 22There's no such thing as darkness to him— not even deep darkness— that can conceal those who practice evil. | 22There is no deep shadow, no utter darkness, where evildoers can hide. |
| 23He won't examine mankind further, that they would go before God to judgment. | 23God has no need to examine people further, that they should come before him for judgment. |
| 24He shatters valiant men without a need to investigate, and he raises others in their place. | 24Without inquiry he shatters the mighty and sets up others in their place. |
| 25Thus he acknowledges their behavior, and overcomes them; when night time comes, they are crushed. | 25Because he takes note of their deeds, he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed. |
| 26"He strikes the wicked among them in a place where they can be seen | 26He punishes them for their wickedness where everyone can see them, |
| 27because they've abandoned their pursuit of him and had no respect for any of his ways. | 27because they turned from following him and had no regard for any of his ways. |
| 28As a result, the cries of the poor have reached him and he has heard the cry of the afflicted. | 28They caused the cry of the poor to come before him, so that he heard the cry of the needy. |
| 29"If he remains silent, who will condemn him? If he conceals his face, who can see him? He watches over both nation and individual alike, | 29But if he remains silent, who can condemn him? If he hides his face, who can see him? Yet he is over individual and nation alike, |
| 30to keep the godless man from reigning or laying a snare for the people." | 30to keep the godless from ruling, from laying snares for the people. |
| 31"Has anyone ever really told God, 'I've endured, and I won't act corruptly anymore. | 31"Suppose someone says to God, 'I am guilty but will offend no more. |
| 32What I don't see, instruct me! If I've done anything evil, I won't repeat it!' | 32Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.' |
| 33"Should you not be paid back, since you have rejected him? You do the choosing! I won't! Tell us what you know! | 33Should God then reward you on your terms, when you refuse to repent? You must decide, not I; so tell me what you know. |
| 34"Men of understanding, speak to me! Are any of you men wise? Then listen to me! | 34"Men of understanding declare, wise men who hear me say to me, |
| 35Job has been speaking from his own ignorance, and what he has to say lacks insight! | 35Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.' |
| 36Oh, how Job needs to be given a full court trial, as a rebuke to those who practice evil, | 36Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost for answering like a wicked man! |
| 37because he has been adding rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us, and keeps on ranting against God." | 37To his sin he adds rebellion; scornfully he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God." |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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