New American Standard Bible 1995

English Standard Version

1Then Elihu continued and said,

1Then Elihu answered and said:

2"Hear my words, you wise men, And listen to me, you who know.

2“Hear my words, you wise men, and give ear to me, you who know;

3"For the ear tests words As the palate tastes food.

3for the ear tests words as the palate tastes food.

4"Let us choose for ourselves what is right; Let us know among ourselves what is good.

4Let us choose what is right; let us know among ourselves what is good.

5"For Job has said, 'I am righteous, But God has taken away my right;

5For Job has said, ‘I am in the right, and God has taken away my right;

6Should I lie concerning my right? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.'

6in spite of my right I am counted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’

7"What man is like Job, Who drinks up derision like water,

7What man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing like water,

8Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, And walks with wicked men?

8who travels in company with evildoers and walks with wicked men?

9"For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing When he is pleased with God.'

9For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should take delight in God.’

10"Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wickedness, And from the Almighty to do wrong.

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.

11"For He pays a man according to his work, And makes him find it according to his way.

11For according to the work of a man he will repay him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him.

12"Surely, God will not act wickedly, And the Almighty will not pervert justice.

12Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.

13"Who gave Him authority over the earth? And who has laid on Him the whole world?

13Who gave him charge over the earth, and who laid on him the whole world?

14"If He should determine to do so, If He should gather to Himself His spirit and His breath,

14If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath,

15All flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust.

15all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.

16"But if you have understanding, hear this; Listen to the sound of my words.

16“If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say.

17"Shall one who hates justice rule? And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,

17Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,

18Who says to a king, 'Worthless one,' To nobles, 'Wicked ones';

18who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’ and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’

19Who shows no partiality to princes Nor regards the rich above the poor, For they all are the work of His hands?

19who shows no partiality to princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?

20"In a moment they die, and at midnight People are shaken and pass away, And the mighty are taken away without a hand.

20In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.

21"For His eyes are upon the ways of a man, And He sees all his steps.

21“For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.

22"There is no darkness or deep shadow Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

22There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.

23"For He does not need to consider a man further, That he should go before God in judgment.

23For God has no need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.

24"He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, And sets others in their place.

24He shatters the mighty without investigation and sets others in their place.

25"Therefore He knows their works, And He overthrows them in the night, And they are crushed.

25Thus, knowing their works, he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.

26"He strikes them like the wicked In a public place,

26He strikes them for their wickedness in a place for all to see,

27Because they turned aside from following Him, And had no regard for any of His ways;

27because they turned aside from following him and had no regard for any of his ways,

28So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him, And that He might hear the cry of the afflicted--

28so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted—

29When He keeps quiet, who then can condemn? And when He hides His face, who then can behold Him, That is, in regard to both nation and man?--

29When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or a man?—

30So that godless men would not rule Nor be snares of the people.

30that a godless man should not reign, that he should not ensnare the people.

31"For has anyone said to God, 'I have borne chastisement; I will not offend anymore;

31“For has anyone said to God, ‘I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more;

32Teach me what I do not see; If I have done iniquity, I will not do it again '?

32teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?

33"Shall He recompense on your terms, because you have rejected it? For you must choose, and not I; Therefore declare what you know.

33Will he then make repayment to suit you, because you reject it? For you must choose, and not I; therefore declare what you know.

34"Men of understanding will say to me, And a wise man who hears me,

34Men of understanding will say to me, and the wise man who hears me will say:

35'Job speaks without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom.

35‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without insight.’

36'Job ought to be tried to the limit, Because he answers like wicked men.

36Would that Job were tried to the end, because he answers like wicked men.

37'For he adds rebellion to his sin; He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God.'"

37For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.”

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