Good News Translation GNT
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 You men are so wise, so clever; listen now to what I am saying.
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Then Eli'hu said:
3 You know good food when you taste it, but not wise words when you hear them.
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for the ear tests words as the palate tastes food.
4 It is up to us to decide the case.
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Let us choose what is right; let us determine among ourselves what is good.
5 Job claims that he is innocent, that God refuses to give him justice.
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For Job has said, 'I am innocent, and God has taken away my right;
6 He asks, "How could I lie and say I am wrong? I am fatally wounded, but I am sinless."
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in spite of my right I am counted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.'
7 Have you ever seen anyone like this man Job? He never shows respect for God.
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What man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing like water,
8 He likes the company of evil people and goes around with sinners.
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who goes in company with evildoers and walks with wicked men?
9 He says that it never does any good to try to follow God's will.
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For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing that he should take delight in God.'
10 Listen to me, you men who understand! Will Almighty God do what is wrong?
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"Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding, far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.
11 He rewards people for what they do and treats them as they deserve.
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For according to the work of a man he will requite him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him.
12 Almighty God does not do evil; he is never unjust to anyone.
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Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.
13 Did God get his power from someone else? Did someone put him in charge of the world?
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Who gave him charge over the earth and who laid on him the whole world?
14 If God took back the breath of life,
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If he should take back his spirit to himself, and gather to himself his breath,
15 then everyone living would die and turn into dust again.
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all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.
16 Now listen to me, if you are wise.
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"If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say.
17 Are you condemning the righteous God? Do you think that [he ]hates justice?
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Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18 God condemns kings and rulers when they are worthless or wicked.
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who says to a king, 'Worthless one,' and to nobles, 'Wicked man';
19 He does not take the side of rulers nor favor the rich over the poor, for he created everyone.
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who shows no partiality to princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?
20 We may suddenly die at night. God strikes us down and we perish; he kills the mighty with no effort at all.
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In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.
21 He watches every step we take.
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"For his eyes are upon the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.
22 There is no darkness dark enough to hide a sinner from God.
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There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.
23 God does not need to set a time for us to go and be judged by him.
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For he has not appointed a time for any man to go before God in judgment.
24 He does not need an investigation to remove leaders and replace them with others.
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He shatters the mighty without investigation, and sets others in their place.
25 Because he knows what they do; he overthrows them and crushes them by night.
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Thus, knowing their works, he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
26 He punishes sinners where all can see it,
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He strikes them for their wickedness in the sight of men,
27 because they have stopped following him and ignored all his commands.
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because they turned aside from following him, and had no regard for any of his ways,
28 They forced the poor to cry out to God, and he heard their calls for help.
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so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted--
29 If God decided to do nothing at all, no one could criticize him. If he hid his face, we would be helpless.
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When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or a man? --
30 There would be nothing that nations could do to keep godless oppressors from ruling them.
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that a godless man should not reign, that he should not ensnare the people.
31 Job, have you confessed your sins to God and promised not to sin again?
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"For has any one said to God, 'I have borne chastisement; I will not offend any more;
32 Have you asked God to show you your faults, and have you agreed to stop doing evil?
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teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more'?
33 Since you object to what God does, can you expect him to do what you want? The decision is yours, not mine; tell us now what you think.
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Will he then make requital to suit you, because you reject it? For you must choose, and not I; therefore declare what you know.
34 Any sensible person will surely agree; and the wise who hear me will say
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Men of understanding will say to me, and the wise man who hears me will say:
35 that Job is speaking from ignorance and that nothing he says makes sense.
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'Job speaks without knowledge, his words are without insight.'
36 Think through everything that Job says; you will see that he talks like an evil man.
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Would that Job were tried to the end, because he answers like wicked men.
37 To his sins he adds rebellion; in front of us all he mocks God.
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For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us, and multiplies his words against God."
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.