Shared Word Translation
Job 34
Elihu Appeals to the Wise
Elihu answered and said:
“Hear my words, you wise people;
and you who know, give ear to me.
For the ear tests words
as the palate tastes food.
Let us choose justice for ourselves;
let us know among ourselves what is good.
Job Has Said, God Has Taken Away My Justice
For Job has said, ‘I am righteous,
but God has taken away my justice.
In spite of my justice I am counted a liar;
my wound is incurable, though I have no transgression.’
What man is like Job,
who drinks mockery like water,
who travels in company with workers of harm
and walks with wicked people?
For he has said, ‘It does not profit a man
to delight himself in God.’
Far Be It from God to Do Wickedness
Therefore listen to me, people of understanding:
far be it from God to do wickedness,
and from the Almighty to do injustice.
For the work of a human he repays him,
and according to a person’s way he causes him to find.
Surely God does not act wickedly,
and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
Who appointed him over the earth?
And who placed the whole world under him?
If he set his heart upon himself,
if he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath,
all flesh would expire together,
and humanity would return to dust.
God Shows No Partiality to Princes
If you have understanding, hear this;
give ear to the sound of my words.
Can one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn the righteous and mighty One,
who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’
and to nobles, ‘Wicked,’
who does not show partiality to princes
or recognize the rich above the poor,
for all of them are the work of his hands?
In a moment they die,
and at midnight a people is shaken and passes away;
the mighty are removed, but not by human hand.
His Eyes Are on Human Ways
For his eyes are upon the ways of a person,
and he sees all his steps.
There is no darkness and no death-shadow
where workers of harm may hide.
For he does not appoint a time for a man
to enter before God in judgment.
He breaks mighty people without searching it out
and makes others stand in their place.
Therefore he recognizes their works;
he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
He strikes them for their wickedness
in a place where people can see,
because they turned aside from following him
and gave no attention to any of his ways,
so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him,
and he heard the cry of the afflicted.
When He Is Silent, Who Can Condemn?
When he gives quiet, who can condemn?
When he hides his face, who can see him?
Whether over a nation or over a person, it is the same,
so that a godless person may not reign,
so that there are no snares for the people.
Should God Repay on Your Terms?
For has anyone said to God,
‘I have borne chastisement; I will not act corruptly again.
What I do not see, teach me;
if I have done injustice, I will do it no more’?
Should he repay according to your terms because you reject his judgment?
For you must choose, and not I.
So declare what you know.
People of understanding will say to me,
and a wise man who hears me:
‘Job speaks without knowledge,
and his words are without insight.’
If only Job were tested to the limit
because his answers are like those of wicked men!
For he adds rebellion to his sin;
he claps his hands among us
and multiplies his words against God.”