1Moreover Elihu answered and said,
2Hear my words, you wise men; And give ear to me, you who have knowledge.
3For the ear tries words, As the palate tastes food.
4Let us choose for us that which is right: Let us know among ourselves what is good.
5For Job has said, I am righteous, And God has taken away my right:
6Despite my right I am accounted a liar; My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.
7What man is like Job, Who drinks up scoffing like water,
8Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, And walks with wicked men?
9For he has said, It profits a man nothing That he should delight himself with God.
10Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, And from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
11For the work of a man he will render to him, And cause every man to find according to his ways.
12Indeed, surely, God will not do wickedly, Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
13Who gave him a charge over the earth? Or who has disposed the whole world?
14If he sets his heart on himself, If he gathers to himself his spirit and his breath;
15All flesh shall perish together, And man shall turn again to dust.
16If now you have understanding, hear this: Listen to the voice of my words.
17Shall even one who hates justice govern? And will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty?—
18Him who says to a king, You are vile, Or to nobles, You are wicked;
19Who does not respect the persons of princes, Nor regards the rich more than the poor; For they all are the work of his hands.
20In a moment they die, even at midnight; The people are shaken and pass away, And the mighty are taken away without hand.
21For his eyes are on the ways of a man, And he sees all his goings.
22There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23For he does not need to consider a man further, That he should go before God in judgment.
24He breaks in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out, And sets others in their place.
25Therefore he takes knowledge of their works; And he overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
26He strikes them as wicked men In the open sight of others;
27Because they turned aside from following him, And would not have regard in any of his ways:
28So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, And he heard the cry of the afflicted.
29When he gives quietness, who then can condemn? And when he hides his face, who then can behold him? Alike whether it is done to a nation, or to a man:
30That the godless man may not reign, That there may be none to ensnare the people.
31For has any said to God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:
32That which I do not see teach me: If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?
33Shall his recompense be as you will, that you refuse it? For you must choose, and not I: Therefore speak what you know.
34Men of understanding will say to me, Indeed, every wise man who hears me:
35Job speaks without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom.
36Would that Job were tried to the end, Because of his answering like wicked men.
37For he adds rebellion to his sin; He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God.