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34:1  Elihu continued:
34:2  Hear my words, wise ones; knowledgeable ones, listen to me,
34:3  for the ear tests words like the palate tastes food.
34:4  Let’s choose for us what’s right; let’s determine among ourselves what’s good;
34:5  for Job has said, “I’m innocent; God has denied my just cause;
34:6  because of my cause I’m thought a liar; my wound from an arrow is incurable, even though I didn’t rebel.”
34:7  Who is a man like Job? He drinks mockery like water
34:8  and travels a path with wrongdoers, walking with evil persons.
34:9  Indeed he said, “No one is rewarded for delighting in God.”
34:10  Therefore, intelligent ones, hear me; far be it from God to do evil and the Almighty to sin,
34:11  for he repays people based on what they do, paying back everyone according to their ways.
34:12  Surely God doesn’t act wickedly; the Almighty doesn’t distort justice.
34:13  Who placed earth in his care, and who gave him dominion over the entire world?
34:14  If he were to decide to do it— to gather his spirit and breath back to himself—
34:15  all flesh would die together, and humans would return to dust.
34:16  But if you have understanding, hear this; pay attention to the sound of my words.
34:17  Will one who hates justice rule; will you condemn the most righteous one?
34:18  Will you say to a king, “Worthless!” to royalty, “Evil!”
34:19  Who shows no favor to princes nor regards the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of God’s hands?
34:20  In the middle of the night they suddenly die; people are shaken and pass away. The mighty are removed, not by a human hand.
34:21  God’s eyes are on human ways, and he sees all their steps.
34:22  There’s no darkness, no deep darkness, where evildoers can hide themselves;
34:23  surely no time is set for a person to appear before God in judgment.
34:24  He shatters the mighty without examining them; makes others take their place.
34:25  Thus he regards their deeds, overturns them at night, and they are crushed.
34:26  He strikes them because of their wickedness at a place where people can see it.
34:27  Because they turned from following him and didn’t value all his ways,
34:28  causing the cry of the poor to reach him, he hears the cry of the afflicted.
34:29  Still, if he remains quiet, who can condemn; if he hides his face, who can see him?
34:30  He prevents a lawless person from ruling, from capturing people.
34:31  Has Job said to God, “I have borne punishment; I won’t sin again?
34:32  You teach me what I can’t see; if I’ve sinned, I won’t do it again.”
34:33  Will he repay you because you reject sin, for you must choose, not I; declare what you know.
34:34  Smart people say to me, the wise who hear me,
34:35  “Job speaks without knowledge; his words aren’t astute.”
34:36  I wish Job would be tested to the limit because he responds like evil people.
34:37  He adds rebellion to his sin; mocks us openly and adds to his words against God.