Job 34

Elihu Confirms God’s Justice

¹Then Elihu continued:

²“Hear my words, O wise men;

give ear to me, O men of learning.

³For the ear tests words

as the mouth tastes food.

⁴Let us choose for ourselves what is right;

let us learn together what is good.

⁵For Job has declared, ‘I am righteous,

yet God has deprived me of justice.

⁶Would I lie about my case?

My wound is incurable,

though I am without transgression.’

⁷What man is like Job,

who drinks up derision like water?

⁸He keeps company with evildoers

and walks with wicked men.

⁹For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing

that he should delight in God.’

¹⁰Therefore listen to me,

O men of understanding.

Far be it from God to do wrong,

and from the Almighty to act unjustly.

¹¹For according to a man’s deeds He repays him;

according to a man’s ways He brings consequences.

¹²Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly,

and the Almighty does not pervert justice.

¹³Who gave Him charge over the earth?

Who appointed Him over the whole world?

¹⁴If He were to set His heart to it

and withdraw His Spirit and breath,

¹⁵all flesh would perish together

and mankind would return to the dust.

¹⁶If you have understanding, hear this;

listen to my words.

¹⁷Could one who hates justice govern?

Will you condemn the just and mighty One,

¹⁸who says to kings, ‘You are worthless!’

and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’

¹⁹who is not partial to princes

and does not favor rich over poor?

For they are all the work of His hands.

²⁰They die in an instant,

in the middle of the night.

The people convulse and pass away;

the mighty are removed without human hand.

²¹For His eyes are on the ways of a man,

and He sees his every step.

²²There is no darkness or deep shadow

where the workers of iniquity can hide.

²³For God need not examine a man further

or have him approach for judgment.

²⁴He shatters the mighty without inquiry

and sets up others in their place.

²⁵Therefore, He recognizes their deeds;

He overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.

²⁶He strikes them for their wickedness

in full view,

²⁷because they turned aside from Him

and had no regard for any of His ways.

²⁸They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him,

and He heard the outcry of the afflicted.

²⁹But when He remains silent, who can condemn Him?

When He hides His face, who can see Him?

Yet He watches over both man and nation,

³⁰that godless men should not rule

or lay snares for the people.1

³¹Suppose someone says to God,

‘I have endured my punishment; I will offend no more.

³²Teach me what I cannot see;

if I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’

³³Should God repay you on your own terms

when you have disavowed Him?

You must choose, not I;

so tell me what you know.

³⁴Men of understanding will declare to me,

and the wise men who hear me will say:

³⁵‘Job speaks without knowledge;

his words lack insight.’

³⁶If only Job were tried to the utmost

for answering like a wicked man.

³⁷For he adds rebellion to his sin;

he claps his hands among us

and multiplies his words against God.”