ACV - Job - 34

34:1  Moreover Elihu answered, and said,

34:2  Hear my words, ye wise men, and give ear to me, ye who have knowledge.

34:3  For the ear tries words as the palate tastes food.

34:4  Let us choose for us that which is right. Let us know among ourselves what is good.

34:5  For Job has said, I am righteous, and God has taken away my right.

34:6  Notwithstanding my right I am accounted a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.

34:7  What man is like Job, who drinks up scorning like water,

34:8  saying, I have not sinned, nor committed unrighteousness, nor had fellowship with workers of iniquity to go with the profane.

34:9  For thou should not say, There shall be no visitation to a man, whereas visitation is to him from the Lord.

34:10  Therefore hearken to me, ye men of understanding. Far be it from me to sin before the Lord, and pervert righteousness before the Almighty.

34:11  For the work of a man he will render to him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.

34:12  Yea, certainly God will not do wrong. Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.

34:13  Who gave him a charge over the earth? Or who has disposed the whole world?

34:14  If he sets his heart upon himself, if he gathers his spirit and his breath to himself,

34:15  all flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again to dust.

34:16  If now thou be understanding, hear this. Hearken to the voice of words.

34:17  Behold thou him who hates lawlessness, and who destroys evil men, who is forever righteousness,

34:18  him who says to a king, Thou are vile, to ranking men, Ye are wicked,

34:19  who does not respect the persons of rulers, nor regards the rich more than the poor. For they all are the work of his hands.

34:20  In a moment they die, even at midnight. The people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away without hand.

34:21  For his eyes are upon the ways of a man, and he sees all his goings.

34:22  There is no darkness, nor thick gloom where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

34:23  For he needs no further to consider a man, that he should go before God in judgment.

34:24  He breaks in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out, and sets others in their stead.

34:25  Therefore he takes knowledge of their works, and he overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

34:26  He strikes them as wicked men in the open sight of others

34:27  because they turned aside from following him, and would not have regard in any of his ways,

34:28  so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted.

34:29  When he gives quietness, who then can condemn? And when he hides his face, who then can behold him? It is the same whether to a nation, or to a man,

34:30  that the profane man not reign, that there be none to ensnare the people.

34:31  For has any said to God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more.

34:32  Teach thou me that which I do not see. If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?

34:33  Shall his recompense be as thou desire, that thou refuse it? For thou must choose, and not I. Therefore speak what thou know.

34:34  Men of understanding will say to me, yes, every wise man who hears me,

34:35  Job speaks without knowledge, and his words are without wisdom.

34:36  But surely not. Learn thou Job not to still give an answer like the foolish,

34:37  so that we may not add to our sins, and lawlessness will be reckoned against us, speaking many words before the Lord.