| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Elihu answered: | 1Elihu continued speaking, and said: |
| 2"Listen to my words, you wise men; hear me, you learned men. | 2"Listen to what I have to say, you wise men! Pay attention to me, you educated people! |
| 3For the ear assesses words as the mouth tastes food. | 3Since the ear tests words like a palate tastes food, |
| 4Let us evaluate for ourselves what is right; let us come to know among ourselves what is good. | 4let's choose what's right for us. Let's consider among ourselves what is good." |
| 5For Job says, 'I am innocent, but God turns away my right. | 5Now this is Job's claim: 'Even though I'm innocent, God has stopped treating me righteously. |
| 6Concerning my right, should I lie? My wound is incurable, although I am without transgression.' | 6Have I lied concerning the justice that I deserve? My wound is incurable, though transgression cannot be attributed to me.' |
| 7What man is like Job, who drinks derision like water! | 7"What man is like Job, who drinks mockery like water, |
| 8He goes about in company with evildoers, he goes along with wicked men. | 8traffics in those who practice evil, and walks with wicked people? |
| 9For he says, 'It does not profit a man when he makes his delight with God.' | 9Because he says, 'There's no profit for a man to find joy with God.'" |
| 10"Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wickedness, from the Almighty to do evil. | 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, |
| 11For he repays a person for his work, and according to the conduct of a person, he causes the consequences to find him. | 11because he repays a person for his behavior; and according to a person's conduct, he lets it happen to him. |
| 12Indeed, in truth, God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice. | 12Truly, God doesn't practice wickedness, and the Almighty doesn't pervert justice. |
| 13Who entrusted to him the earth? And who put him over the whole world? | 13Who entrusted the earth to him? Who made him responsible for the entire inhabited world? |
| 14If God were to set his heart on it, and gather in his spirit and his breath, | 14If he were to decide to do so, that is, to take back to himself his spirit and breath of life, |
| 15all flesh would perish together and human beings would return to dust. | 15every living thing would die all at once, and mankind would return to dust." |
| 16"If you have understanding, listen to this, hear what I have to say. | 16If you have understanding, listen to this! Pay attention to what I have to say: |
| 17Do you really think that one who hates justice can govern? And will you declare guilty the supremely righteous One, | 17Can one who hates justice really govern? And if God is righteous and mighty, can you condemn him? |
| 18who says to a king, 'Worthless man' and to nobles, 'Wicked men,' | 18Can one say to a king, 'You're vile!' or to nobles, 'You're wicked!'? |
| 19who 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? | 19Who isn't partial to princes? Who doesn't give preference to the nobles over the poor? Nevertheless, all of them are his handiwork. |
| 20In a moment they die, in the middle of the night, people are shaken and they pass away. The mighty are removed effortlessly. | 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. |
| 21For his eyes are on the ways of an individual, he observes all a person's steps. | 21Yes, Job, his eyes constantly watch the behavior of human beings; he carefully observes their every step. |
| 22There is no darkness, and no deep darkness, where evildoers can hide themselves. | 22There's no such thing as darkness to him— not even deep darkness— that can conceal those who practice evil. |
| 23For he does not still consider a person, that he should come before God in judgment. | 23He won't examine mankind further, that they would go before God to judgment. |
| 24He shatters the great without inquiry, and sets up others in their place. | 24He shatters valiant men without a need to investigate, and he raises others in their place. |
| 25Therefore, he knows their deeds, he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed. | 25Thus he acknowledges their behavior, and overcomes them; when night time comes, they are crushed. |
| 26He strikes them for their wickedness, in a place where people can see, | 26"He strikes the wicked among them in a place where they can be seen |
| 27because they have turned away from following him, and have not understood any of his ways, | 27because they've abandoned their pursuit of him and had no respect for any of his ways. |
| 28so that they caused the cry of the poor to come before him, so that he hears the cry of the needy. | 28As a result, the cries of the poor have reached him and he has heard the cry of the afflicted. |
| 29But 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, | 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, |
| 30so that the godless man should not rule, and not lay snares for the people. | 30to keep the godless man from reigning or laying a snare for the people." |
| 31"Has anyone said to God, 'I have endured chastisement, but I will not act wrongly any more. | 31"Has anyone ever really told God, 'I've endured, and I won't act corruptly anymore. |
| 32Teach me what I cannot see. If I have done evil, I will do so no more.' | 32What I don't see, instruct me! If I've done anything evil, I won't repeat it!' |
| 33Is 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. | 33"Should you not be paid back, since you have rejected him? You do the choosing! I won't! Tell us what you know! |
| 34Men of understanding say to me--any wise man listening to me says-- | 34"Men of understanding, speak to me! Are any of you men wise? Then listen to me! |
| 35that Job speaks without knowledge and his words are without understanding. | 35Job has been speaking from his own ignorance, and what he has to say lacks insight! |
| 36But Job will be tested to the end, because his answers are like those of wicked men. | 36Oh, how Job needs to be given a full court trial, as a rebuke to those who practice evil, |
| 37For he adds transgression to his sin; in our midst he claps his hands, and multiplies his words against God." | 37because he has been adding rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us, and keeps on ranting against God." |
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