Elihu Vindicates God’s Justice
34 Elihu continued his discourse and said,
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“Hear my words, you wise men,
And listen to me, you who have [so much] knowledge.
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“For the ear puts words to the test
As the palate tastes food.
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“Let us choose for ourselves that which is right;
Let us know among ourselves what is good.
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“For Job has said, ‘I am righteous [and innocent],
But God has taken away my right;(A)
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Although I am right, I am accounted a liar.
My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
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“What man is like Job,
Who drinks up derision like water,
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Who goes in company with those who do evil
And walks with wicked men?
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“For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
When he takes delight and is pleased with God and obeys Him.’
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“Therefore hear me, you men of understanding.
Far be it from God that He would do wickedness,
And from the Almighty to do wrong.
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“For God pays a man according to his work,
And He will make every man find [appropriate] compensation according to his way.
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“Surely God will not act wickedly,
Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.
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“Who put God in charge over the earth?
And who has laid on Him the whole world?
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“If God should determine to do so,
If He should gather to Himself [that is, withdraw from man] His [life-giving] spirit and His breath,
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All flesh would perish together,
And man would return to dust.(B)
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“If you now have understanding, hear this;
Listen to the sound of my words.
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“Shall one who hates justice [and is an enemy of right] govern?
And will you condemn Him who is just and mighty?
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“God who says to a king, ‘You are worthless and vile,’
Or to princes and nobles, ‘You are wicked and evil’?
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“Who is not partial to princes,
Nor does He regard the rich above the poor,
For they all are the work of His hands.
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“In a moment they die, even at midnight
The people are shaken and pass away,
And the powerful are taken away without a [human] hand.
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“For God’s eyes are on the ways of a man,
And He sees all his steps.(C)
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“There is no darkness nor deep shadow
Where the evildoers may hide themselves.
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“For He sets no appointed time for a man,
That he should appear before Him in judgment.
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“He breaks mighty men without inquiry,
And sets others in their place.(D)
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“Therefore He knows of their works,
And He overthrows them in the night,
So that they are crushed and destroyed.
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“He strikes them like the wicked
In a public place,
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Because they turned aside from following Him
And would not consider or show regard for any of His ways,(E)
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So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him,
And He heard the cry of the afflicted.(F)
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“When He keeps quiet, who then can condemn?
When He hides His face [withdrawing His favor and help], who then can behold Him [and make supplication to Him],
Whether it be a nation or a man by himself?—
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So that godless men would not rule
Nor be snares for the people.
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“For has anyone said to God,
‘I have endured my chastisement;
I will not offend anymore;
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Teach me what I do not see [in regard to how I have sinned];
If I have done wrong (injustice, unrighteousness),
I will not do it again’?
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“Shall God’s retribution [for your sins] be on your terms, because you refuse to accept it?
For you must do the choosing, and not I;
Therefore say what you [truthfully] know.
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“Men of understanding will tell me,
Indeed, every wise man who hears me [will agree],
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‘Job speaks without knowledge,
And his words are without wisdom and insight.
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‘Job ought to be tried [a]to the limit
Because he answers like wicked men!
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‘For he adds rebellion [in his unsubmissive, defiant attitude toward God] to his [unacknowledged] sin;
He claps his hands among us [in open mockery and contempt of God],
And he multiplies his words [of accusation] against God.’”
Footnotes
- Job 34:36 Or to the end.