34:1 Elihu answered and said,

34:2 Listen to my words O wise men,
and hear¹ me O learned men.²
34:3 For the ear discerns³ words
and the mouth⁴ tastes food
34:4 Let us choose⁵ for ourselves what is right,⁶
let us come to know among ourselves what is good.
34:5 For Job says, “I am righteous,
but God turns away my right.
34:6 Concerning my right, should I lie?⁷
incurable is my wound,⁸
although I am without transgression.”⁹
34:7 What man is like Job,
who¹⁰ drinks derision¹¹ like water!
34:8 He goes about¹² in company¹³ with evildoers,
he goes along¹⁴ with wicked men,¹⁵
34:9 For he says, “It does not profit a man
when he makes his delight with God.¹⁶

34:10 Therefore, listen to me, men of understanding.¹⁷
far be it from¹⁸ God to do wickedness,
from the Almighty to do evil.
34:11 For he repays a man for his work,¹⁹
and according to the conduct of a man,
he causes it to find him.²⁰
34:12 Indeed, in truth, God does not act wickedly,
and the Almighty does not pervert the right.
34:13 Who entrusted²¹ to him the earth?
And who put him over²² the whole world?
34:14 If God²³ sets his heart upon it,²⁴
and gathers in his spirit and his breath,
34:15 all flesh would perish together
and man would return to dust.

34:16 If you have²⁵ understanding, listen to this,
hear the sound of my words.
34:17 Do you really think²⁶
that one who hates justice can govern?²⁷
And will you declare guilty
the supremely righteous²⁸ One?
34:18 Who says to a king,²⁹ “Worthless man”;³⁰
and to nobles, “Wicked man”?
34:19 Who shows no partiality to princes,
and does not take note of³¹
the rich before the poor,
because all of them are the work of his hands.
34:20 In a moment they die, in the middle of the night,³²
people³³ are shaken³⁴ and they pass away.
the mighty are removed effortlessly.³⁵
34:21 For his eyes are on the ways of man,
he observes all man’s³⁶ steps.
34:22 There is no darkness, and no deep darkness,
where evildoers can be hidden.³⁷
34:23 For he does not still consider a man,³⁸
that he should come before God in judgment.
34:24 He shatters the great without inquiry,³⁹
and sets up others in their place
34:25 Therefore, he knows their works,
he overthrows them⁴⁰ in the night⁴¹
and they are crushed.
34:26 He strikes them for their wickedness,⁴²
in a place where people can see;⁴³
34:27 because they have turned aside from going after him,
and have not understood⁴⁴ all of his ways,
34:28 so that they caused⁴⁵ the cry of the poor
to come before him,
so that he hears⁴⁶ the cry of the needy.
34:29 But if God⁴⁷ is quiet, who can condemn⁴⁸ him?
If he hides his face, then who can see him?
Yet⁴⁹ he is over man and nation alike,⁵⁰
34:30 that the godless man should not rule,
and not lay snares for the people.⁵¹

34:31 Has anyone said to God,
“I have borne chastisement,⁵²
but I will not act wrongly any more.
34:32 Teach me what I cannot see.⁵³
If I have done evil, I will do so no more.”
34:33 Is it your opinion⁵⁴ that he should recompense it,
because you reject this,⁵⁵
But you must choose, and not I,
so speak what you know.
34:34 Men of understanding say to me,
and any wise man listening to me,
34:35 Job speaks without knowledge
and his words are without understanding.⁵⁶
34:36 But⁵⁷ Job will be tested to the end,
because his answers are in the manner of wicked men.
34:37 For he adds transgression to his sin;
in our midst he claps his hands,⁵⁸
and he multiplies his words against God.