New King James Version | New Living Translation |
1Elihu further answered and said: | 1Then Elihu said: |
2“Hear my words, you wise men; Give ear to me, you who have knowledge. | 2“Listen to me, you wise men. Pay attention, you who have knowledge. |
3For the ear tests words As the palate tastes food. | 3Job said, ‘The ear tests the words it hears just as the mouth distinguishes between foods.’ |
4Let us choose justice for ourselves; Let us know among ourselves what is good. | 4So let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good. |
5“For Job has said, ‘I am righteous, But God has taken away my justice; | 5For Job also said, ‘I am innocent, but God has taken away my rights. |
6Should I lie concerning my right? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’ | 6I am innocent, but they call me a liar. My suffering is incurable, though I have not sinned.’ |
7What man is like Job, Who drinks scorn like water, | 7“Tell me, has there ever been a man like Job, with his thirst for irreverent talk? |
8Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, And walks with wicked men? | 8He chooses evil people as companions. He spends his time with wicked men. |
9For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing That he should delight in God.’ | 9He has even said, ‘Why waste time trying to please God?’ |
10“Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: Far be it from God to do wickedness, And from the Almighty to commit iniquity. | 10“Listen to me, you who have understanding. Everyone knows that God doesn’t sin! The Almighty can do no wrong. |
11For He repays man according to his work, And makes man to find a reward according to his way. | 11He repays people according to their deeds. He treats people as they deserve. |
12Surely God will never do wickedly, Nor will the Almighty pervert justice. | 12Truly, God will not do wrong. The Almighty will not twist justice. |
13Who gave Him charge over the earth? Or who appointed Him over the whole world? | 13Did someone else put the world in his care? Who set the whole world in place? |
14If He should set His heart on it, If He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath, | 14If God were to take back his spirit and withdraw his breath, |
15All flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust. | 15all life would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust. |
16“If you have understanding, hear this; Listen to the sound of my words: | 16“Now listen to me if you are wise. Pay attention to what I say. |
17Should one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn Him who is most just? | 17Could God govern if he hated justice? Are you going to condemn the almighty judge? |
18Is it fitting to say to a king, ‘You are worthless,’ And to nobles, ‘You are wicked’? | 18For he says to kings, ‘You are wicked,’ and to nobles, ‘You are unjust.’ |
19Yet He is not partial to princes, Nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; For they are all the work of His hands. | 19He doesn’t care how great a person may be, and he pays no more attention to the rich than to the poor. He made them all. |
20In a moment they die, in the middle of the night; The people are shaken and pass away; The mighty are taken away without a hand. | 20In a moment they die. In the middle of the night they pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand. |
21“For His eyes are on the ways of man, And He sees all his steps. | 21“For God watches how people live; he sees everything they do. |
22There is no darkness nor shadow of death Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. | 22No darkness is thick enough to hide the wicked from his eyes. |
23For He need not further consider a man, That he should go before God in judgment. | 23We don’t set the time when we will come before God in judgment. |
24He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, And sets others in their place. | 24He brings the mighty to ruin without asking anyone, and he sets up others in their place. |
25Therefore He knows their works; He overthrows them in the night, And they are crushed. | 25He knows what they do, and in the night he overturns and destroys them. |
26He strikes them as wicked men In the open sight of others, | 26He strikes them down because they are wicked, doing it openly for all to see. |
27Because they turned back from Him, And would not consider any of His ways, | 27For they turned away from following him. They have no respect for any of his ways. |
28So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him; For He hears the cry of the afflicted. | 28They cause the poor to cry out, catching God’s attention. He hears the cries of the needy. |
29When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble? And when He hides His face, who then can see Him, Whether it is against a nation or a man alone?— | 29But if he chooses to remain quiet, who can criticize him? When he hides his face, no one can find him, whether an individual or a nation. |
30That the hypocrite should not reign, Lest the people be ensnared. | 30He prevents the godless from ruling so they cannot be a snare to the people. |
31“For has anyone said to God, ‘I have borne chastening; I will offend no more; | 31“Why don’t people say to God, ‘I have sinned, but I will sin no more’? |
32Teach me what I do not see; If I have done iniquity, I will do no more’? | 32Or ‘I don’t know what evil I have done—tell me. If I have done wrong, I will stop at once’? |
33Should He repay it according to your terms, Just because you disavow it? You must choose, and not I; Therefore speak what you know. | 33“Must God tailor his justice to your demands? But you have rejected him! The choice is yours, not mine. Go ahead, share your wisdom with us. |
34“Men of understanding say to me, Wise men who listen to me: | 34After all, bright people will tell me, and wise people will hear me say, |
35‘Job speaks without knowledge, His words are without wisdom.’ | 35‘Job speaks out of ignorance; his words lack insight.’ |
36Oh, that Job were tried to the utmost, Because his answers are like those of wicked men! | 36Job, you deserve the maximum penalty for the wicked way you have talked. |
37For he adds rebellion to his sin; He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God.” | 37For you have added rebellion to your sin; you show no respect, and you speak many angry words against God.” |
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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