Home Master Index
←Prev   Job 34 as rendered by/in  Next→ 


34:1  Job remained silent, so Elihu continued.
34:2  Elihu: Hear my words, you men of wisdom; listen to me, learned ones:
34:3  Our ears are capable of testing wisdom of words the way the roofs of our mouths are capable of tasting food.
34:4  Let us form a council here then, and decide among us what is right; let us come together to know what is good in all of this.
34:5  After all, Job has told us, “I am innocent, but God has denied my right to a fair hearing.
34:6  Though I am right, should I lie and claim to be wrong? No. Let me put it to you simply: I am gravely wounded as by an arrow, but I am innocent.”
34:7  What other man is comparable to Job? He drinks disdain like water.
34:8  He is not like the one who runs with the workers of wickedness and associates himself with evil people.
34:9  In fact he even suggests, “A person receives no benefit from pleasing God.”
34:10  Elihu: So, you men whose hearts have embraced wisdom, listen to me: far be it from God to commit evil acts; and from the Highest One to engage in wrongdoing!
34:11  For He is like an employer who pays workers according to what they have done; He makes sure the rewards they receive match their conduct.
34:12  Oh, unimaginable thought—that God would cause evil! The Highest One does not pervert justice!
34:13  Who designated Him as earth’s overseer? Who placed Him in charge of the entire world?
34:14  If He made it His aim to do so, if He recalled to Himself His spirit and His breath,
34:15  All living creatures would expire as one and humankind would return to the dust from which He formed them.
34:16  If you are one of understanding, hear this! Listen to what I am saying!
34:17  Can one who despises justice also govern? And are you willing to render condemnation on the Righteous and Mighty One?
34:18  Is He not the One who says to the king, “You are worthless,” and to the exalted nobility, “You are depraved.”
34:19  Is He not the One who refuses favoritism to royalty and who will not put rich above poor? After all, they are all the creations of His very own hands.
34:20  All of a sudden, in the middle of the night, people perish; they are shaken, and then they pass away; the strong and mighty, apart from any human hand, are taken.
34:21  For God’s eyes are on the paths people choose; He surveys each of their steps.
34:22  There is no darkness, no gloomy shadow in which wrongdoers may hide themselves from Him.
34:23  God does not need to scrutinize people further or bring them before Him for judgment.
34:24  Without need of a lengthy investigation, He breaks even the mighty into pieces, and installs others to replace them.
34:25  And this is because He is already acquainted with their actions. When the seemingly sudden midnight hour rolls over, they are crushed beneath it.
34:26  He strikes down people as if they were wicked— front and center—a display for all to see
34:27  Simply because they turned from following Him, because they no longer considered His ways.
34:28  As a result of their injustice, the poor cried out to Him And as you ought to know well, He always hears the cries of the needy, of the oppressed peoples.
34:29  If God remains silent, who is fit to raise his voice against Him? If He chooses to hide His face, who is able to see Him? This goes for a nation or an individual; all are the same.
34:30  A person estranged from God must be prevented from ruling over any nation and from laying snares for the downfall of a people.
34:31  Has anyone then said to God, “I have carried punishment, but I will not offend again.
34:32  Teach me and fill in my blind spots, and if I have done wrong, I will stop and do what is right.”
34:33  Is God obliged to reward you on your terms for your personal revolt against Him? You must decide that, not I. Tell me, if you know what you believe,
34:34  People who comprehend such things, wise folk who hear me say,
34:35  “Job speaks without knowledge; his harangues are devoid of insight.”
34:36  May God try Job to the bitter end, for he responds as the wicked do
34:37  And he keeps adding to his sins; he claps his hands in rebellion in our very midst, and he multiplies his offensive words against God.