Elihu’s Second Speech

34:1 Elihu answered:
34:2 “Listen to my words, you wise men;
hear me, you learned men.
34:3 For the ear assesses words
as the mouth tastes food.
34:4 Let us evaluate for ourselves what is right;
let us come to know among ourselves what is good.
34:5 For Job says, ‘I am innocent,
but God turns away my right.
34:6 Concerning my right, should I lie?
My wound is incurable,
although I am without transgression.’
34:7 What man is like Job,
who drinks derision like water!
34:8 He goes about in company with evildoers,
he goes along with wicked men.
34:9 For he says, ‘It does not profit a man
when he makes his delight with God.’
God is Not Unjust
34:10 “Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding.
Far be it from God to do wickedness,
from the Almighty to do evil.
34:11 For he repays a person for his work,
and according to the conduct of a person,
he causes the consequences to find him.
34:12 Indeed, in truth, God does not act wickedly,
and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
34:13 Who entrusted to him the earth?
And who put him over the whole world?
34:14 If God were to set his heart on it,
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 have understanding, listen to this,
hear what I have to say.
34:17 Do you really think
that one who hates justice can govern?
And will you declare guilty
the supremely righteous One,
34:18 who says to a king, ‘Worthless man’
and to nobles, ‘Wicked men,’
34:19 who 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?
34:20 In a moment they die, in the middle of the night,
people are shaken and they pass away.
The mighty are removed effortlessly.
34:21 For his eyes are on the ways of an individual,
he observes all a person’s steps.
34:22 There is no darkness, and no deep darkness,
where evildoers can hide themselves.
34:23 For he does not still consider a person,
that he should come before God in judgment.
34:24 He shatters the great without inquiry,
and sets up others in their place.
34:25 Therefore, he knows their deeds,
he overthrows them in the night
and they are crushed.
34:26 He strikes them for their wickedness,
in a place where people can see,
34:27 because they have turned away from following him,
and have not understood any of his ways,
34:28 so that they caused the cry of the poor
to come before him,
so that he hears the cry of the needy.
34:29 But 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,
34:30 so that the godless man should not rule,
and not lay snares for the people.
Job Is Foolish to Rebel
34:31 “Has anyone said to God,
‘I have endured chastisement,
but I will not act wrongly any more.
34:32 Teach me what I cannot see.
If I have done evil, I will do so no more.’
34:33 Is 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.
34:34 Men of understanding say to me –
any wise man listening to me says –
34:35 that Job speaks without knowledge
and his words are without understanding.
34:36 But Job will be tested to the end,
because his answers are like those of wicked men.
34:37 For he adds transgression to his sin;
in our midst he claps his hands,
and multiplies his words against God.”

×