New American Standard Bible NAS
English Standard Version ESV
1 Then Elihu continued and said,
1
Then Elihu answered and said:
2 "Hear my words, you wise men, And listen to me, you who know.
2
"Hear my words, you wise men, and give ear to me, you who know;
3 "For the ear tests words As the palate tastes food.
3
for the ear tests words as the palate tastes food.
4 "Let us choose for ourselves what is right; Let us know among ourselves what is good.
4
Let us choose what is right; let us know among ourselves what is good.
5 "For Job has said, 'I am righteous, But God has taken away my right;
5
For Job has said, 'I am in the right, and God has taken away my right;
6 Should I lie concerning my right? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.'
6
in spite of my right I am counted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.'
7 "What man is like Job, Who drinks up derision like water,
7
What man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing like water,
8 Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, And walks with wicked men?
8
who travels in company with evildoers and walks with wicked men?
9 "For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing When he is pleased with God.'
9
For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing that he should take delight in God.'
10 "Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wickedness, And from the Almighty to do wrong.
10
"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 "For He pays a man according to his work, And makes him find it according to his way.
11
For according to the work of a man he will repay him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him.
12 "Surely , God will not act wickedly, And the Almighty will not pervert justice.
12
Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.
13 "Who gave Him authority over the earth? And who has laid on Him the whole world?
13
Who gave him charge over the earth, and who laid on him the whole world?
14 "If He should determine to do so, If He should gather to Himself His spirit and His breath,
14
If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath,
15 All flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust.
15
all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.
16 "But if you have understanding, hear this; Listen to the sound of my words.
16
"If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say.
17 "Shall one who hates justice rule? And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,
17
Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18 Who says to a king, 'Worthless one,' To nobles, 'Wicked ones ';
18
who says to a king, 'Worthless one,' and to nobles, 'Wicked man,'
19 Who shows no partiality to princes Nor regards the rich above the poor, For they all are the work of His hands?
19
who shows no partiality to princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?
20 "In a moment they die, and at midnight People are shaken and pass away, And the mighty are taken away without a hand.
20
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 "For His eyes are upon the ways of a man, And He sees all his steps.
21
"For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.
22 "There is no darkness or deep shadow Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
22
There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.
23 "For He does not need to consider a man further, That he should go before God in judgment.
23
For God has no need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment.
24 "He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, And sets others in their place.
24
He shatters the mighty without investigation and sets others in their place.
25 "Therefore He knows their works, And He overthrows them in the night, And they are crushed.
25
Thus, knowing their works, he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
26 "He strikes them like the wicked In a public place,
26
He strikes them for their wickedness in a place for all to see,
27 Because they turned aside from following Him, And had no regard for any of His ways;
27
because they turned aside from following him and had no regard for any of his ways,
28 So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him, And that He might hear the cry of the afflicted -
28
so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted--
29 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?-
29
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 So that godless men would not rule Nor be snares of the people.
30
that a godless man should not reign, that he should not ensnare the people.
31 "For has anyone said to God, 'I have borne chastisement; I will not offend anymore;
31
"For has anyone said to God, 'I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more;
32 Teach me what I do not see; If I have done iniquity, I will not do it again '?
32
teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more'?
33 "Shall He recompense on your terms, because you have rejected it? For you must choose, and not I; Therefore declare what you know.
33
Will he then make repayment to suit you, because you reject it? For you must choose, and not I; therefore declare what you know.
34 "Men of understanding will say to me, And a wise man who hears me,
34
Men of understanding will say to me, and the wise man who hears me will say:
35 'Job speaks without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom.
35
'Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without insight.'
36 'Job ought to be tried to the limit, Because he answers like wicked men.
36
Would that Job were tried to the end, because he answers like wicked men.
37 'For he adds rebellion to his sin; He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God.' "
37
For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God."
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California. All rights reserved.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.