Job 34
Elihu’s Second Speech1
34:2 “Listen to my words, you wise men;
34:3 For the ear assesses4 words
as the mouth5 tastes food.
34:4 Let us evaluate6 for ourselves what is right;7
let us come to know among ourselves what is good.
34:5 For Job says, ‘I am innocent,8
but God turns away my right.
34:6 Concerning my right, should I lie?9
My wound10 is incurable,
although I am without transgression.’11
who12 drinks derision13 like water!
34:8 He goes about14 in company15 with evildoers,
he goes along16 with wicked men.17
34:9 For he says, ‘It does not profit a man
when he makes his delight with God.’18
God is Not Unjust
34:10 “Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding.19
Far be it from20 God to do wickedness,
from the Almighty to do evil.
34:11 For he repays a person for his work,21
and according to the conduct of a person,
he causes the consequences to find him.22
34:12 Indeed, in truth, God does not act wickedly,
and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
34:13 Who entrusted23 to him the earth?
And who put him over24 the whole world?
34:14 If God25 were to set his heart on it,26
and gather in his spirit and his breath,
34:15 all flesh would perish together
and human beings would return to dust.
God Is Impartial and Omniscient
34:16 “If you have27 understanding, listen to this,
hear what I have to say.28
34:17 Do you really think29
that one who hates justice can govern?30
And will you declare guilty
the supremely righteous31 One,
34:18 who says to a king,32 ‘Worthless man’33
and to nobles, ‘Wicked men,’
34:19 who shows no partiality to princes,
and does not take note of34 the rich more than the poor,
because all of them are the work of his hands?
34:20 In a moment they die, in the middle of the night,35
people36 are shaken37 and they pass away.
The mighty are removed effortlessly.38
34:21 For his eyes are on the ways of an individual,
he observes all a person’s39 steps.
34:22 There is no darkness, and no deep darkness,
where evildoers can hide themselves.40
34:23 For he does not still consider a person,41
that he should come before God in judgment.
34:24 He shatters the great without inquiry,42
and sets up others in their place.
34:25 Therefore, he knows their deeds,
he overthrows them43 in the night44
and they are crushed.
34:26 He strikes them for their wickedness,45
in a place where people can see,46
34:27 because they have turned away from following him,
and have not understood47 any of his ways,
34:28 so that they caused48 the cry of the poor
to come before him,
so that he hears49 the cry of the needy.
34:29 But if God50 is quiet, who can condemn51 him?
If he hides his face, then who can see him?
Yet52 he is over the individual and the nation alike,53
34:30 so that the godless man should not rule,
and not lay snares for the people.54
Job Is Foolish to Rebel
34:31 “Has anyone said to God,
‘I have endured chastisement,55
but I will not act wrongly any more.
34:32 Teach me what I cannot see.56
If I have done evil, I will do so no more.’
34:33 Is it your opinion57 that God58 should recompense it,
because you reject this?59
But you must choose, and not I,
so tell us what you know.
34:34 Men of understanding say to me –
any wise man listening to me says –
34:35 that60 Job speaks without knowledge
and his words are without understanding.61
34:36 But62 Job will be tested to the end,
because his answers are like those of wicked men.
34:37 For he adds transgression63 to his sin;
in our midst he claps his hands,64
and multiplies his words against God.”