Hebrew Names Version HNV
The Message Bible MSG
1 Moreover Elihu answered,
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Elihu continued:
2 "Hear my words, you wise men; Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.
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"So, my fine friends - listen to me, and see what you think of this.
3 For the ear tries words, As the palate tastes food.
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Isn't it just common sense - as common as the sense of taste -
4 Let us choose for us that which is right. Let us know among ourselves what is good.
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To put our heads together and figure out what's going on here?
5 For Iyov has said, 'I am righteous, God has taken away my right:
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"We've all heard Job say, 'I'm in the right, but God won't give me a fair trial.
6 Notwithstanding my right I am considered a liar; My wound is incurable, though I am without disobedience.'
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When I defend myself, I'm called a liar to my face. I've done nothing wrong, and I get punished anyway.'
7 What man is like Iyov, Who drinks up scoffing like water,
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Have you ever heard anything to beat this? Does nothing faze this man Job?
8 Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, And walks with wicked men?
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Do you think he's spent too much time in bad company, hanging out with the wrong crowd,
9 For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing That he should delight himself with God.'
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So that now he's parroting their line: 'It doesn't pay to try to please God'?
10 "Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, From Shaddai, that he should commit iniquity.
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"You're veterans in dealing with these matters; certainly we're of one mind on this. It's impossible for God to do anything evil; no way can the Mighty One do wrong.
11 For the work of a man will he render to him, And cause every man to find according to his ways.
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He makes us pay for exactly what we've done - no more, no less. Our chickens always come home to roost.
12 Yes surely, God will not do wickedly, Neither will Shaddai pervert justice.
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It's impossible for God to do anything wicked, for the Mighty One to subvert justice.
13 Who gave him a charge over the eretz? Or who has appointed him over the whole world?
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He's the one who runs the earth! He cradles the whole world in his hand!
14 If he set his heart on himself, If he gathered to himself his spirit and his breath;
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If he decided to hold his breath,
15 All flesh would perish together, And man would turn again to dust.
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every man, woman, and child would die for lack of air. God Is Working Behind the Scenes
16 "If now you have understanding, hear this. Listen to the voice of my words.
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"So, Job, use your head; this is all pretty obvious.
17 Shall even one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty?--
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Can someone who hates order, keep order? Do you dare condemn the righteous, mighty God?
18 Who says to a king, 'Vile!' Or to nobles, 'Wicked!'
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Doesn't God always tell it like it is, exposing corrupt rulers as scoundrels and criminals?
19 Who doesn't respect the persons of princes, Nor regards the rich more than the poor; For they all are the work of his hands.
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Does he play favorites with the rich and famous and slight the poor? Isn't he equally responsible to everybody?
20 In a moment they die, even at midnight; The people are shaken and pass away, The mighty are taken away without hand.
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Don't people who deserve it die without notice? Don't wicked rulers tumble to their doom? When the so-called great ones are wiped out, we know God is working behind the scenes.
21 "For his eyes are on the ways of a man, He sees all his goings.
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"He has his eyes on every man and woman. He doesn't miss a trick.
22 There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
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There is no night dark enough, no shadow deep enough, to hide those who do evil.
23 For he doesn't need to consider a man further, That he should go before God in judgment.
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God doesn't need to gather any more evidence; their sin is an open-and-shut case.
24 He breaks in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out, And sets others in their place.
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He deposes the so-called high and mighty without asking questions, and replaces them at once with others.
25 Therefore he takes knowledge of their works. He overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
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Nobody gets by with anything; overnight, judgment is signed, sealed, and delivered.
26 He strikes them as wicked men In the open sight of others;
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He punishes the wicked for their wickedness out in the open where everyone can see it,
27 Because they turned aside from following him, And wouldn't have regard in any of his ways:
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Because they quit following him, no longer even thought about him or his ways.
28 So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, He heard the cry of the afflicted.
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Their apostasy was announced by the cry of the poor; the cry of the afflicted got God's attention. Because You Refuse to Live on God's Terms
29 When he gives quietness, who then can condemn? When he hides his face, who then can see him? Alike whether to a nation, or to a man:
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"If God is silent, what's that to you? If he turns his face away, what can you do about it? But whether silent or hidden, he's there, ruling,
30 That the godless man may not reign, That there be no one to ensnare the people.
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so that those who hate God won't take over and ruin people's lives.
31 "For has any said to God, 'I am guilty, but I will not offend any more.
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"So why don't you simply confess to God? Say, 'I sinned, but I'll sin no more.
32 Teach me that which I don't see. If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more'?
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Teach me to see what I still don't see. Whatever evil I've done, I'll do it no more.'
33 Shall his recompense be as you desire, that you refuse it? For you must choose, and not I. Therefore speak what you know.
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Just because you refuse to live on God's terms, do you think he should start living on yours? You choose. I can't do it for you. Tell me what you decide.
34 Men of understanding will tell me, Yes, every wise man who hears me:
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"All right-thinking people say - and the wise who have listened to me concur -
35 'Iyov speaks without knowledge, His words are without wisdom.'
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'Job is an ignoramus. He talks utter nonsense.'
36 I wish that Iyov were tried to the end, Because of his answering like wicked men.
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Job, you need to be pushed to the wall and called to account for wickedly talking back to God the way you have.
37 For he adds rebellion to his sin. He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God."
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You've compounded your original sin by rebelling against God's discipline, Defiantly shaking your fist at God, piling up indictments against the Almighty One."
The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.