Elihu Answers That God Will Be Just
Then Elihu answered and said,
2 “Hear my speech, you wise men,
And give ear to me, you who know.
3 For athe ear tests words
As the palate tastes food.
4 Let us choose for ourselves what is just;
Let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 For Job has said, ‘aI am righteous,
But bGod has removed my justice;
6 Should I lie concerning my justice?
My awound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
7 What man is like Job,
Who adrinks up mocking like water,
8 But he travels ain company with the workers of iniquity,
And walks with wicked men?
9 For he has said, ‘aIt is of no use to a man
When he is pleased with God.’
10 “Therefore, listen to me, you men with a heart of wisdom.
Far be it from God to ado injustice,
And from the Almighty to do wrong.
11 For He pays a man according to ahis work,
And makes him find it according to his way.
12 Truly, aGod will not act wickedly,
And the Almighty will not pervert justice.
13 Who aappointed Him with authority over the earth?
And who bhas laid on Him the whole world?
14 If He should set His heart on it,
If He should agather to Himself His spirit and His breath,
15 All aflesh would breathe its last together,
And man would breturn to dust.
16 “But if you have understanding, hear this;
Give ear to the sound of my speech.
17 Shall aone who hates justice rule?
And bwill you condemn the righteous mighty One,
18 Who says to a king, ‘Vile one,’
To nobles, ‘Wicked ones’;
19 Who shows no apartiality to princes
Nor recognizes the rich above the poor,
For they all are the bwork of His hands?
20 In a moment they die, and aat midnight
People are shaken and pass away,
And bthe mighty are taken away without a hand.
21 “For aHis eyes are upon the ways of a man,
And He sees all his steps.
22 There is ano darkness or shadow of death
Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23 For He does not aneed to consider a man further,
That he should go before God in judgment.
24 He breaks in pieces amighty men without searching anything out,
And sets others in their place.
25 Therefore He arecognizes their labors,
And bHe overthrows them in the night,
And they are crushed.
26 He astrikes them like the wicked
In a public place,
27 Because they aturned aside from following Him,
And bhad no insight from any of His ways;
28 So that they caused athe cry of the poor to come to Him,
And that He might bhear the cry of the afflicted.
29 So if He keeps quiet, who then can condemn?
So if He hides His face, who then can perceive Him?
He is above both nation and man altogether,
30 So that agodless men would not rule
Nor be snares of the people.
31 “For has anyone said to God,
‘I have borne chastisement;
I will not work destructively anymore;
32 Instruct me what I do not behold;
If I have adone injustice,
I will not do it again’?
33 Shall He arepay on your terms, because you have rejected it?
For you must choose, and not I;
Therefore say what you know.
34 Men with a heart of wisdom will say to me,
And a wise man who hears me,
35 ‘Job aspeaks without knowledge,
And his words are without insight.
36 Job ought to be tested to the limit
Because he answers alike wicked men.
37 For he adds atransgression to his sin;
He bstrikes his hands together among us,
And multiplies his words against God.’”