Elihu Asserts God’s Justice

34 Thus[fn] Elihu spoke up[fn] and said,

• 2 and listen to me, you who know,
• 3 the ear tests words, and the palate tastes[fn]
• 4  let us determine among ourselves what is good—
• 5  but God has taken away my justice.
• 6  Though I am without transgression, my wound caused by an arrow is incurable.’
• 7 is like Job, who drinks scorn like water?
• 8  and walks with men of wickedness.
• 9  when he takes delight in God.’
• 10 [fn] far be it from God[fn]
• and that Shaddai[fn]
• 11 according to a human being’s deeds, and according to a man’s way he will let it happen to him.
• 12  and Shaddai does not pervert justice.
• 13 over the earth? Or[fn] who laid on him the whole world?
• 14  and he should gather his spirit and his breath to himself,
• 15  and humankind would return to dust.
• 16 [fn] if you have understanding, hear this; listen to[fn]
• 17 he who hates justice really govern? Or will you[fn] declare the Righteous One, the Mighty, guilty?—
• 18  ‘You worthless man,’ to noblemen, ‘You wicked man,’
• 19 [fn] and who[fn]
• for all of them are the work of his hands?
• 20 In a moment they die, and in the middle of the night the people are shaken, and they pass away,
• and they take away the mighty[fn]
• 21 are upon the ways of man, and he sees all his steps.
• 22  where instigators of mischief might hide themselves.
• 23 a time for man to go to God in the judgment.
• 24  and he sets others in their place.
• 25  and he overturns them in the night
• [fn] they are crushed.
• 26 [fn] [fn]
• 27  and have not understood any of his ways,
• 28 they cause the cry of distress from the helpless to come to him, and he hears the cry of distress from the needy,
• 29  And he hides his face, and who can behold him?
• Yet[fn] he is over a nation and over a person alike,
• 30  nor those who ensnare the people.
• 31 chastisement; I will not act corruptly again;
• 32 [fn] if I have done wrong, I will not repeat it’?
• 33 [fn] must he repay it because you rejected this? Indeed, you must choose, and not I, so[fn] declare what you know.
• 34 [fn] say to me, and the wise man hearing me says:
• 35  and his words are without insight.
• 36 the end because his answers are like those from men of mischief,
• 37  he claps hands among us,
• and he multiplies his words against God.’ ”