Open English Translation JOB Chapter 34

34 Then Elihu continued:

2 Hear my words you wise men,

≈and listen to me you who are in the know.

3 Yes, our ears test words,

just like our mouth distinguishes tastes.

4 Let’s choose justice for ourselves.

≈Let’s discern among ourselves what is good.

5 Because Iyyov has declared, ‘I’m righteous,

but God has deprived me of justice.

6 Would I lie about my rights?

My wound is incurable despite not having disobeyed.’

7 What other person is like Iyyov?

He drinks up mockery like drinking water.

8 He keeps company with those who do evil,

≈and walks with wicked people.

9 He’s said, ‘What advantage it is to anyone

when they take delight in pleasing God?’

10 So listen to me you people who understand.

God wouldn’t do anything wicked,

≈and the provider wouldn’t do anything wrong.

11 He repays each person according to their actions.[ref]

≈and what happens to them depends on their conduct.

12 Honestly, God doesn’t do wicked things,

≈and the provider doesn’t pervert justice.

13 Who assigned him to be over the earth,

≈and who put the whole world under him?

14 If he set his mind on himself,

≈gathering his spirit and his breath to himself,

15 everybody would die simultaneously,

≈and humanity would return to dust.

16 If you have understanding then hear this.

≈Listen to the words that I say.

17 Would one who hates justice really govern?

Would you condemn the righteous one—the mighty one—as guilty?

18 The one who tells a king that he’s worthless.

≈Yes, who tells a wealthy person that they’re wicked.

19 The one who doesn’t show favour to princes,

≈and doesn’t favour the rich in front of the poor.

Yes, they’re all the work of his hands.

20 They die in a moment—they do a shiver in the middle of the night then pass away.

≈Even powerful people are taken away without human involvement.

21 His eyes watch over everyone,

≈he observes all of our steps.

22 There’s no darkness or gloom

that wicked people can hide in.

23 He doesn’t appoint anyone again

to go to God for judgement.

24 He breaks powerful people without investigation,

and establishes others instead of them[fn]

25 because he’s familiar with their activities

and overthrows them in the night and they’re crushed.

26 He strikes them as wicked people,

where everyone can see

27 since they turned away from following him,

and didn’t consider any of his ways.

28 They cause the cry of the poor to reach him,

≈and he heard the cries of the afflicted.

29 If he stays silent, then who would condemn him?

and if he hides his face, then who will see him

although he’s over every nation as well as every individual

30 so that godless people shouldn’t reign

or ensnare the people.

31 If someone says to God,

‘I’ve endured my punishment—now I’ll stop acting corruptly.

32 Complement what I can see by teaching me,

so that if I’ve disobeyed, I won’t repeat it.

33 Must he repay it from with you? ???

Since you despise, then you will choose, not me. ???

So speak out what you do know.

34 People of understanding tell me

along with wise people who listen to me:

35 ‘Iyyov speaks without knowledge,

≈and his words lack insight.

36 If only he would be tested to the end—

his answers are like those of wicked people.

37 He adds rebellion to his sin.

He claps among us and multiplies his words against God.