34 Then Elihu answered:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men;
listen to me, you who know a lot.
3 The ear tests words
as the ·tongue [L palate] tastes food.
4 Let’s ·decide [choose] for ourselves what is ·right [just],
and let’s learn together what is good.
5 “Job says, ‘I am ·not guilty [right/righteous],
and God has ·refused me a fair trial [L turned justice away from me].
6 ·Instead of getting a fair trial [concerning my case],
I am ·called [considered] a liar.
·I have been seriously hurt [An arrow has given me an incurable wound; L My arrow is incurable],
even though I have not sinned.’
7 ·There is no other [L Who is a…?] man like Job;
he ·takes [or receives] ·insults [ridicule; scoffing] as if he were drinking water.
8 He ·keeps company [travels] with those who do evil
and ·spends time [L goes] with wicked men,
9 because he says, ‘It is no use
to try to please God.’
10 “So listen to me, you who ·can understand [or are sensible].
God can never do wrong!
It is impossible for the Almighty to do evil.
11 God pays people back for what they have done
and ·gives them what their actions deserve [L finds them out according to their ways].
12 Truly God will never do wrong;
the Almighty will never ·twist [pervert] ·what is right [justice].
13 ·No one [L Who…?] chose God to rule over the earth
or put him in charge of the whole world.
14 If God should ·decide [L set his mind/heart to himself]
to take away ·life [L spirit] and breath,
15 then ·everyone [L all flesh] would ·die [expire] together
and turn back into dust.
16 “If you can understand, hear this;
·listen to what I have to say [L give ear to my words].
17 Can anyone govern who hates what is right?
How can you ·blame God [L condemn one] who is both ·fair [righteous] and powerful?
18 ·God [L Who…?] is the one who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’
or to important people, ‘You are evil.’
19 He ·is not nicer to princes than other people [L shows no favoritism to princes],
nor ·kinder [L gives more recognition] to ·rich people [nobles] than poor people,
because he made them all with his own hands [Prov. 14:31; 17:5; 22:2].
20 They can die in a moment, in the middle of the night.
·They are struck down [L The people are shaken], and then they pass away;
powerful people ·die [are taken away] ·without help [or not by human hand].
21 “·God watches where people go [L His eyes are on the path of people];
he sees every step they take.
22 There is no dark place or deep shadow
where those who do evil can hide from him.
23 He does not set a time
for people to come before him for judging.
24 Without ·asking questions [investigation; inquiry], God breaks powerful people into pieces
and puts others in their place.
25 Because God knows what people do,
he ·defeats [overturns] them in the night, and they are crushed.
26 He ·punishes [slaps] them for the evil they do
so that everyone else can watch,
27 because they ·stopped [turned away from] following God
and did not care about any of his ways.
28 The cry of the poor comes to God;
he hears the cry of the ·needy [afflicted].
29 But if God keeps quiet, who can blame him?
If he hides his face, who among nations or people can see him?
30 He keeps the wicked from ruling
and from trapping others.
31 “But suppose someone says to God,
‘I ·am guilty, but [or have endured punishment, so] I will not sin anymore.
32 Teach me what I cannot see.
If I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’
33 So, Job, should God ·reward [or make peace with] you as you want
·when [or since] you refuse to change?
You must ·decide [choose], not I,
so tell me what you know.
34 “Those ·who understand [with sense] speak,
and the wise who hear me say,
35 ‘Job speaks without knowing what is true;
his words show he ·does not understand [has no insight].’
36 I wish Job would be ·tested completely [examined forever],
because he answered like an evil man!
37 Job now adds to his sin ·by turning against God [with transgression].
He ·claps his hands in protest [L claps among us; C clapping is a sign of protest or contempt],
speaking more and more against God.”