Christian Standard Bible

Hebrew Study Bible

1Then Elihu continued, saying:

1וַיַּ֥עַן אֱלִיה֗וּא וַיֹּאמַֽר׃

2Hear my words, you wise ones, and listen to me, you knowledgeable ones.

2שִׁמְע֣וּ חֲכָמִ֣ים מִלָּ֑י וְ֝יֹדְעִ֗ים הַאֲזִ֥ינוּ לִֽי׃

3Doesn't the ear test words as the palate tastes food?

3כִּי־ אֹ֭זֶן מִלִּ֣ין תִּבְחָ֑ן וְ֝חֵ֗ךְ יִטְעַ֥ם לֶאֱכֹֽל׃

4Let us judge for ourselves what is right; let us decide together what is good.

4מִשְׁפָּ֥ט נִבְחֲרָה־ לָּ֑נוּ נֵדְעָ֖ה בֵינֵ֣ינוּ מַה־ טּֽוֹב׃

5For Job has declared, "I am righteous, yet God has deprived me of justice.

5כִּֽי־ אָ֭מַר אִיּ֣וֹב צָדַ֑קְתִּי וְ֝אֵ֗ל הֵסִ֥יר מִשְׁפָּטִֽי׃

6Would I lie about my case? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression."

6עַל־ מִשְׁפָּטִ֥י אֲכַזֵּ֑ב אָנ֖וּשׁ חִצִּ֣י בְלִי־ פָֽשַׁע׃

7What man is like Job? He drinks derision like water.

7מִי־ גֶ֥בֶר כְּאִיּ֑וֹב יִֽשְׁתֶּה־ לַּ֥עַג כַּמָּֽיִם׃

8He keeps company with evildoers and walks with wicked men.

8וְאָרַ֣ח לְ֭חֶבְרָה עִם־ פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן וְ֝לָלֶ֗כֶת עִם־ אַנְשֵׁי־ רֶֽשַׁע׃

9For he has said, "A man gains nothing when he becomes God's friend."

9כִּֽי־ אָ֭מַר לֹ֣א יִסְכָּן־ גָּ֑בֶר בִּ֝רְצֹת֗וֹ עִם־ אֱלֹהִֽים׃

10Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding. It is impossible for God to do wrong, and for the Almighty to act unjustly.

10לָכֵ֤ן ׀ אַ֥נֲשֵׁ֥י לֵבָ֗ב שִׁמְע֫וּ לִ֥י חָלִ֖לָה לָאֵ֥ל מֵרֶ֗שַׁע וְשַׁדַּ֥י מֵעָֽוֶל׃

11For he repays a person according to his deeds, and he gives him what his conduct deserves.

11כִּ֤י פֹ֣עַל אָ֭דָם יְשַׁלֶּם־ ל֑וֹ וּֽכְאֹ֥רַח אִ֝֗ישׁ יַמְצִאֶֽנּוּ׃

12Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly and the Almighty does not pervert justice.

12אַף־ אָמְנָ֗ם אֵ֥ל לֹֽא־ יַרְשִׁ֑יעַ וְ֝שַׁדַּ֗י לֹֽא־ יְעַוֵּ֥ת מִשְׁפָּֽט׃

13Who gave him authority over the earth? Who put him in charge of the entire world?

13מִֽי־ פָקַ֣ד עָלָ֣יו אָ֑רְצָה וּמִ֥י שָׂ֝֗ם תֵּבֵ֥ל כֻּלָּֽהּ׃

14If he put his mind to it and withdrew the spirit and breath he gave,

14אִם־ יָשִׂ֣ים אֵלָ֣יו לִבּ֑וֹ רוּח֥וֹ וְ֝נִשְׁמָת֗וֹ אֵלָ֥יו יֶאֱסֹֽף׃

15every living thing would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.

15יִגְוַ֣ע כָּל־ בָּשָׂ֣ר יָ֑חַד וְ֝אָדָ֗ם עַל־ עָפָ֥ר יָשֽׁוּב׃

16If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I have to say.

16וְאִם־ בִּ֥ינָה שִׁמְעָה־ זֹּ֑את הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינָה לְק֣וֹל מִלָּֽי׃

17Could one who hates justice govern the world? Will you condemn the mighty Righteous One,

17הַאַ֬ף שׂוֹנֵ֣א מִשְׁפָּ֣ט יַחֲב֑וֹשׁ וְאִם־ צַדִּ֖יק כַּבִּ֣יר תַּרְשִֽׁיעַ׃

18who says to a king, "Worthless man!" and to nobles, "Wicked men!"?

18הַאֲמֹ֣ר לְמֶ֣לֶךְ בְּלִיָּ֑עַל רָ֝שָׁ֗ע אֶל־ נְדִיבִֽים׃

19God is not partial to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands.

19אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־ נָשָׂ֨א ׀ פְּנֵ֥י שָׂרִ֗ים וְלֹ֣א נִכַּר־ שׁ֭וֹעַ לִפְנֵי־ דָ֑ל כִּֽי־ מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יָדָ֣יו כֻּלָּֽם׃

20They die suddenly in the middle of the night; people shudder, then pass away. Even the mighty are removed without effort.

20רֶ֤גַע ׀ יָמֻתוּ֮ וַחֲצ֪וֹת לָ֥יְלָה יְגֹעֲשׁ֣וּ עָ֣ם וְיַעֲבֹ֑רוּ וְיָסִ֥ירוּ אַ֝בִּ֗יר לֹ֣א בְיָֽד׃

21For his eyes watch over a man's ways, and he observes all his steps.

21כִּי־ עֵ֭ינָיו עַל־ דַּרְכֵי־ אִ֑ישׁ וְֽכָל־ צְעָדָ֥יו יִרְאֶֽה׃

22There is no darkness, no deep darkness, where evildoers can hide.

22אֵֽין־ חֹ֭שֶׁךְ וְאֵ֣ין צַלְמָ֑וֶת לְהִסָּ֥תֶר שָׁ֝֗ם פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃

23God does not need to examine a person further, that one should approach him in court.

23כִּ֤י לֹ֣א עַל־ אִ֭ישׁ יָשִׂ֣ים ע֑וֹד לַהֲלֹ֥ךְ אֶל־ אֵ֝֗ל בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט׃

24He shatters the mighty without an investigation and sets others in their place.

24יָרֹ֣עַ כַּבִּירִ֣ים לֹא־ חֵ֑קֶר וַיַּעֲמֵ֖ד אֲחֵרִ֣ים תַּחְתָּֽם׃

25Therefore, he recognizes their deeds and overthrows them by night, and they are crushed.

25לָכֵ֗ן יַ֭כִּיר מַעְבָּֽדֵיהֶ֑ם וְהָ֥פַךְ לַ֝֗יְלָה וְיִדַּכָּֽאוּ׃

26In full view of the public, he strikes them for their wickedness,

26תַּֽחַת־ רְשָׁעִ֥ים סְפָקָ֗ם בִּמְק֥וֹם רֹאִֽים׃

27because they turned aside from following him and did not understand any of his ways

27אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־ כֵּ֭ן סָ֣רוּ מֵֽאַחֲרָ֑יו וְכָל־ דְּ֝רָכָ֗יו לֹ֣א הִשְׂכִּֽילוּ׃

28but caused the poor to cry out to him, and he heard the outcry of the needy.

28לְהָבִ֣יא עָ֭לָיו צַֽעֲקַת־ דָּ֑ל וְצַעֲקַ֖ת עֲנִיִּ֣ים יִשְׁמָֽע׃

29But when God is silent, who can declare him guilty? When he hides his face, who can see him? Yet he watches over both individuals and nations,

29וְה֤וּא יַשְׁקִ֨ט ׀ וּמִ֥י יַרְשִׁ֗עַ וְיַסְתֵּ֣ר פָּ֭נִים וּמִ֣י יְשׁוּרֶ֑נּוּ וְעַל־ גּ֖וֹי וְעַל־ אָדָ֣ם יָֽחַד׃

30so that godless men should not rule or ensnare the people.

30מִ֭מְּלֹךְ אָדָ֥ם חָנֵ֗ף מִמֹּ֥קְשֵׁי עָֽם׃

31Suppose someone says to God, "I have endured my punishment; I will no longer act wickedly.

31כִּֽי־ אֶל־ אֵ֭ל הֶאָמַ֥ר נָשָׂ֗אתִי לֹ֣א אֶחְבֹּֽל׃

32Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I won't do it again."

32בִּלְעֲדֵ֣י אֶ֭חֱזֶה אַתָּ֣ה הֹרֵ֑נִי אִֽם־ עָ֥וֶל פָּ֝עַ֗לְתִּי לֹ֣א אֹסִֽיף׃

33Should God repay you on your terms when you have rejected his? You must choose, not I! So declare what you know.

33הַֽמֵעִמְּךָ֬ יְשַׁלְמֶ֨נָּה כִּֽי־ מָאַ֗סְתָּ כִּי־ אַתָּ֣ה תִבְחַ֣ר וְלֹא־ אָ֑נִי וּֽמַה־ יָדַ֥עְתָּ דַבֵּֽר׃

34Reasonable men will say to me, along with the wise men who hear me,

34אַנְשֵׁ֣י לֵ֭בָב יֹ֣אמְרוּ לִ֑י וְגֶ֥בֶר חָ֝כָ֗ם שֹׁמֵ֥עַֽ לִֽי׃

35"Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without insight."

35אִ֭יּוֹב לֹא־ בְדַ֣עַת יְדַבֵּ֑ר וּ֝דְבָרָ֗יו לֹ֣א בְהַשְׂכֵּֽיל׃

36If only Job were tested to the limit, because his answers are like those of wicked men.

36אָבִ֗י יִבָּחֵ֣ן אִיּ֣וֹב עַד־ נֶ֑צַח עַל־ תְּ֝שֻׁבֹ֗ת בְּאַנְשֵׁי־ אָֽוֶן׃

37For he adds rebellion to his sin; he scornfully claps in our presence, while multiplying his words against God.

37כִּ֥י יֹ֘סִ֤יף עַֽל־ חַטָּאת֣וֹ פֶ֭שַׁע בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ יִסְפּ֑וֹק וְיֶ֖רֶב אֲמָרָ֣יו לָאֵֽל׃ ס

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.