Elihu Continues Speaking

1Elihu continued speaking, and said:

2“Listen to what I have to say, you wise men!

Pay attention to me, you educated people!

3Since the ear tests words

like a palate tastes food,

4let’s choose what’s right for us.

Let’s consider among ourselves what is good.”

Elihu Reviews Job’s Complaint against God’s Injustice

5Now this is Job’s claim:

‘Even though I’m innocent,

God has stopped treating me righteously.

6Have I lied concerning the justice that I deserve?a

My woundb is incurable,

though transgression cannot be attributed to me.’

7“What man is like Job,

who drinks mockery like water,

8traffics in those who practice evil,

and walks with wicked people?

9Because he says, ‘There’s no profit

for a man to find joy with God.’”c

God is Just

10“Therefore you men of understanding,d listen to me!

Far be it for God to practice wickedness,

or the Almighty to do what is wrong,

11because he repays a person for his behavior;

and according to a person’se conduct,

he lets it happen tof him.

12Truly, God doesn’t practice wickedness,

and the Almighty doesn’t pervert justice.

13Who entrusted the earth to him?

Who made him responsible for the entire inhabited world?

14If he were to decide to do so,

that is, to take back to himselfg his spirit and breath of life,h

15every living thing would die all at once,i

and mankind would return to dust.”

God’s Rule is Just

16If you havej understanding, listen to this!

Pay attention to what I have to say:

17Can one who hates justice really govern?

And if Godk is righteous and mighty, can you condemn him?l

18Can one say to a king, ‘You’re vile!’

or to nobles, ‘You’re wicked!’?

19Who isn’t partial tom princes?

Who doesn’t give preference to the nobles over the poor?

Nevertheless, all of them are his handiwork.

20“They die suddenly, in the middle of the night;

people suffer seizures and pass away;

even valiant men can be taken away—

and not by human hands.

21Yes, Job,n his eyes constantly watch the behavior of human beings;

he carefully observes their every step.

22There’s no such thing as darkness to him—

not even deep darkness—

that can conceal those who practice evil.

23He won’t examine mankind further,

that they would go before God to judgment.

24He shatters valiant men without a need to investigate,

and he raises others in their place.

25Thus he acknowledges their behavior, and overcomes them;

when night time comes, they are crushed.

26“He strikeso the wicked among them

in a place where they can be seen

27because they’ve abandoned their pursuit of him

and had no respect for any of his ways.

28As a result, the cries of the poor have reached him

and he has heard the cry of the afflicted.

29“If he remains silent, who will condemn him?

If he conceals his face, who can see him?

He watches over both nation and individual alike,

30to keep the godless man from reigning

or laying a snare for the people.”

Elihu’s Challenge to Job

31“Has anyone ever really told God,

‘I’ve endured,p and I won’t act corruptly anymore.

32What I don’t see, instruct me!

If I’ve done anything evil, I won’t repeat it!’

33“Should you not be paid back,

since you have rejected him?

You do the choosing! I won’t!

Tell us what you know!

Elihu’s Verdict: Job is not Wise

34“Men of understanding, speak to me!

Are any of you men wise? Then listen to me!

35Job has been speaking from his own ignorance,

and what he has to say lacks insight!

36Oh, how Job needs to be given a full court trial,

as a rebuke to those who practice evil,

37because he has been adding rebellion to his sin;

he claps his hands among us,q

and keeps on ranting against God.”