| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Then Elihu continued: | 1Elihu answered: |
| 2“Hear my words, O wise men; give ear to me, O men of learning. | 2"Listen to my words, you wise men; hear me, you learned men. |
| 3For the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food. | 3For the ear assesses words as the mouth tastes food. |
| 4Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good. | 4Let us evaluate for ourselves what is right; let us come to know among ourselves what is good. |
| 5For Job has declared, ‘I am righteous, yet God has deprived me of justice. | 5For Job says, 'I am innocent, but God turns away my right. |
| 6Would I lie about my case? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’ | 6Concerning my right, should I lie? My wound is incurable, although I am without transgression.' |
| 7What man is like Job, who drinks up derision like water? | 7What man is like Job, who drinks derision like water! |
| 8He keeps company with evildoers and walks with wicked men. | 8He goes about in company with evildoers, he goes along with wicked men. |
| 9For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight in God.’ | 9For he says, 'It does not profit a man when he makes his delight with God.' |
| 10Therefore listen to me, O men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wrong, and from the Almighty to act unjustly. | 10"Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wickedness, from the Almighty to do evil. |
| 11For according to a man’s deeds He repays him; according to a man’s ways He brings consequences. | 11For he repays a person for his work, and according to the conduct of a person, he causes the consequences to find him. |
| 12Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice. | 12Indeed, in truth, 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? | 13Who entrusted to him the earth? And who put him over the whole world? |
| 14If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath, | 14If God were to set his heart on it, and gather in his spirit and his breath, |
| 15all flesh would perish together and mankind would return to the dust. | 15all flesh would perish together and human beings would return to dust. |
| 16If you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words. | 16"If you have understanding, listen to this, hear what I have to say. |
| 17Could one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One, | 17Do you really think that one who hates justice can govern? And will you declare guilty the supremely righteous One, |
| 18who says to kings, ‘You are worthless!’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’ | 18who says to a king, 'Worthless man' and to nobles, 'Wicked men,' |
| 19who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands. | 19who 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? |
| 20They die in an instant, in the middle of the night. The people convulse and pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand. | 20In a moment they die, in the middle of the night, people are shaken and they pass away. The mighty are removed effortlessly. |
| 21For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees his every step. | 21For his eyes are on the ways of an individual, he observes all a person's steps. |
| 22There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity can hide. | 22There is no darkness, and no deep darkness, where evildoers can hide themselves. |
| 23For God need not examine a man further or have him approach for judgment. | 23For he does not still consider a person, that he should come before God in judgment. |
| 24He shatters the mighty without inquiry and sets up others in their place. | 24He shatters the great without inquiry, and sets up others in their place. |
| 25Therefore, He recognizes their deeds; He overthrows them in the night and they are crushed. | 25Therefore, he knows their deeds, he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed. |
| 26He strikes them for their wickedness in full view, | 26He strikes them for their wickedness, in a place where people can see, |
| 27because they turned aside from Him and had no regard for any of His ways. | 27because they have turned away from following him, and have not understood any of his ways, |
| 28They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him, and He heard the outcry of the afflicted. | 28so that they caused the cry of the poor to come before him, so that he hears the cry of the needy. |
| 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, | 29But 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, |
| 30that godless men should not rule or lay snares for the people. | 30so that the godless man should not rule, and not lay snares for the people. |
| 31Suppose someone says to God, ‘I have endured my punishment; I will offend no more. | 31"Has anyone said to God, 'I have endured chastisement, but I will not act wrongly any more. |
| 32Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’ | 32Teach me what I cannot see. If I have done evil, I will do so no more.' |
| 33Should God repay you on your own terms when you have disavowed His? You must choose, not I; so tell me what you know. | 33Is 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. |
| 34Men of understanding will declare to me, and the wise men who hear me will say: | 34Men of understanding say to me--any wise man listening to me says-- |
| 35‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’ | 35that Job speaks without knowledge and his words are without understanding. |
| 36If only Job were tried to the utmost for answering like a wicked man. | 36But Job will be tested to the end, because his answers are like those of wicked men. |
| 37For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.” | 37For he adds transgression to his sin; in our midst he claps his hands, and multiplies his words against God." |
|
