New Living Translation

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Then Elihu said:

1Then Elihu continued and said,

2“Listen to me, you wise men. Pay attention, you who have knowledge.

2"Hear my words, you wise men, And listen to me, you who know.

3Job said, ‘The ear tests the words it hears just as the mouth distinguishes between foods.’

3"For the ear tests words As the palate tastes food.

4So let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.

4"Let us choose for ourselves what is right; Let us know among ourselves what is good.

5For Job also said, ‘I am innocent, but God has taken away my rights.

5"For Job has said, 'I am righteous, But God has taken away my right;

6I am innocent, but they call me a liar. My suffering is incurable, though I have not sinned.’

6Should I lie concerning my right? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.'

7“Tell me, has there ever been a man like Job, with his thirst for irreverent talk?

7"What man is like Job, Who drinks up derision like water,

8He chooses evil people as companions. He spends his time with wicked men.

8Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, And walks with wicked men?

9He has even said, ‘Why waste time trying to please God?’

9"For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing When he is pleased with God.'

10“Listen to me, you who have understanding. Everyone knows that God doesn’t sin! The Almighty can do no wrong.

10"Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wickedness, And from the Almighty to do wrong.

11He repays people according to their deeds. He treats people as they deserve.

11"For He pays a man according to his work, And makes him find it according to his way.

12Truly, God will not do wrong. The Almighty will not twist justice.

12"Surely, God will not act wickedly, And the Almighty will not pervert justice.

13Did someone else put the world in his care? Who set the whole world in place?

13"Who gave Him authority over the earth? And who has laid on Him the whole world?

14If God were to take back his spirit and withdraw his breath,

14"If He should determine to do so, If He should gather to Himself His spirit and His breath,

15all life would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust.

15All flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust.

16“Now listen to me if you are wise. Pay attention to what I say.

16"But if you have understanding, hear this; Listen to the sound of my words.

17Could God govern if he hated justice? Are you going to condemn the almighty judge?

17"Shall one who hates justice rule? And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,

18For he says to kings, ‘You are wicked,’ and to nobles, ‘You are unjust.’

18Who says to a king, 'Worthless one,' To nobles, 'Wicked ones';

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.

19Who shows no partiality to princes Nor regards the rich above the poor, For they all are the work of His hands?

20In a moment they die. In the middle of the night they pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.

20"In a moment they die, and at midnight People are shaken and pass away, And the mighty are taken away without a hand.

21“For God watches how people live; he sees everything they do.

21"For His eyes are upon the ways of a man, And He sees all his steps.

22No darkness is thick enough to hide the wicked from his eyes.

22"There is no darkness or deep shadow Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

23We don’t set the time when we will come before God in judgment.

23"For He does not need to consider a man further, That he should go before God in judgment.

24He brings the mighty to ruin without asking anyone, and he sets up others in their place.

24"He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, And sets others in their place.

25He knows what they do, and in the night he overturns and destroys them.

25"Therefore He knows their works, And He overthrows them in the night, And they are crushed.

26He strikes them down because they are wicked, doing it openly for all to see.

26"He strikes them like the wicked In a public place,

27For they turned away from following him. They have no respect for any of his ways.

27Because they turned aside from following Him, And had no regard for any of His ways;

28They cause the poor to cry out, catching God’s attention. He hears the cries of the needy.

28So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him, And that He might hear the cry of the afflicted--

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.

29When He keeps quiet, who then can condemn? And when He hides His face, who then can behold Him, That is, in regard to both nation and man?--

30He prevents the godless from ruling so they cannot be a snare to the people.

30So that godless men would not rule Nor be snares of the people.

31“Why don’t people say to God, ‘I have sinned, but I will sin no more’?

31"For has anyone said to God, 'I have borne chastisement; I will not offend anymore;

32Or ‘I don’t know what evil I have done—tell me. If I have done wrong, I will stop at once’?

32Teach me what I do not see; If I have done iniquity, I will not do it again '?

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.

33"Shall He recompense on your terms, because you have rejected it? For you must choose, and not I; Therefore declare what you know.

34After all, bright people will tell me, and wise people will hear me say,

34"Men of understanding will say to me, And a wise man who hears me,

35‘Job speaks out of ignorance; his words lack insight.’

35'Job speaks without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom.

36Job, you deserve the maximum penalty for the wicked way you have talked.

36'Job ought to be tried to the limit, Because he answers like wicked men.

37For you have added rebellion to your sin; you show no respect, and you speak many angry words against God.”

37'For he adds rebellion to his sin; He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God.'"

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.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org