Then Elihu continued
and said
,
"Hear my words
, you wise
men
, And listen
to me, you who know
.
"For athe ear tests
words
As the palate
tastes
food
.
"Let us choose for ourselves what
is right
; Let us know
among
ourselves what
is good
.
"For Job has said
, ` aI am righteous
, But bGod
has taken
away
my right
;
1Should I lie concerning
my right
? My 2 awound
is incurable
, though I am without
transgression
.'
"What man
is like Job
, Who
adrinks
up derision
like water
,
Who goes ain company
with the workers
of iniquity
, And walks
with wicked
men
?
"For he has said, ` aIt profits
a man
nothing
When he 1is pleased
with God
.'
"Therefore, listen
to me, you men
of understanding
. Far
be it from God
to ado wickedness
, And from the Almighty
to do wrong
.
"For He pays a man
according to ahis work
, And makes 1him find
it according to his way
.
"Surely, aGod
will not act
wickedly
, And the Almighty
will not pervert
justice
.
"Who agave
Him authority
over
the earth
? And who
bhas laid
on Him the whole
world
?
"If He should 1determine
to do so, If He should agather
to Himself His spirit
and His breath
,
All aflesh
would perish
together
, And man
would breturn
to dust
.
"But if you have understanding
, hear
this
; Listen
to the sound
of my words
.
"Shall aone who hates justice
rule
? And bwill you condemn
the righteous
mighty
One
,
Who says to a king
, `Worthless
one
,' To nobles
, `Wicked
ones
';
Who shows
no
apartiality
to princes
Nor
regards
the rich
above
the poor
, For they all
are the bwork
of His hands
?
"In a moment they die
, and aat midnight
People
are shaken
and pass
away
, And bthe mighty
are taken
away
without
a hand
.
"For aHis eyes are upon the ways
of a man
, And He sees
all
his steps
.
"There is ano
darkness
or deep
shadow
Where
the workers
of iniquity
may hide
themselves.
"For He does not aneed to consider a man
further
, That he should go
before
God
in judgment
.
"He breaks in pieces amighty
men
without
inquiry
, And sets
others
in their place
.
"Therefore He aknows
their works
, And bHe overthrows
them in the night
, And they are crushed
.
"He astrikes them like
the wicked
1In a public
place
,
Because they aturned
aside
from following
Him, And bhad
no
regard
for any
of His ways
;
So that they caused athe cry of the poor
to come
to Him, And that He might bhear
the cry
of the afflicted
--
When He keeps quiet
, who
then can condemn
? And when He hides
His face
, who
then can behold
Him, That is, in regard
to both
nation
and man
?--
So that agodless
men
would not rule
Nor
be snares
of the people
.
"For has anyone said to God
, `I have borne
chastisement; I will not offend
anymore;
Teach me what I do not see
; If
I have adone
iniquity
, I will not do
it again
'?
"Shall He arecompense on your terms
, because
you have rejected
it? For you must choose
, and not I; Therefore declare
what
you know
.
"Men of understanding
will say
to me, And a wise
man
who hears
me,
`Job aspeaks
without
knowledge
, And his words
are without
wisdom
.
`Job ought
to be tried
1to the limit
, Because
he answers
alike wicked
men
.
`For he adds arebellion
to his sin
; He bclaps
his hands among
us, And multiplies
his words
against God
.' "