New International Version NIV
Young's Literal Translation YLT
1 Then Elihu said:
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And Elihu answereth and saith:
2 “Hear my words, you wise men; listen to me, you men of learning.
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Hear, O wise men, my words, And, O knowing ones, give ear to me.
3 For the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food.
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For the ear doth try words, And the palate tasteth to eat.
4 Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.
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Judgment let us choose for ourselves, Let us know among ourselves what [is] good.
5 “Job says, ‘I am innocent, but God denies me justice.
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For Job hath said, `I have been righteous, And God hath turned aside my right,
6 Although I am right, I am considered a liar; although I am guiltless, his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’
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Against my right do I lie? Mortal [is] mine arrow -- without transgression.'
7 Is there anyone like Job, who drinks scorn like water?
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Who [is] a man like Job? He drinketh scoffing like water,
8 He keeps company with evildoers; he associates with the wicked.
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And he hath travelled for company With workers of iniquity, So as to go with men of wickedness.
9 For he says, ‘There is no profit in trying to please God.’
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For he hath said, `It doth not profit a man, When he delighteth himself with God.'
10 “So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do evil, from the Almighty to do wrong.
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Therefore, O men of heart, hearken to me; Far be it from God to do wickedness, And [from] the Mighty to do perverseness:
11 He repays everyone for what they have done; he brings on them what their conduct deserves.
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For the work of man he repayeth to him, And according to the path of each He doth cause him to find.
12 It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice.
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Yea, truly, God doth not do wickedly, And the Mighty doth not pervert judgment.
13 Who appointed him over the earth? Who put him in charge of the whole world?
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Who hath inspected for Himself the earth? And who hath placed all the habitable world?
14 If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath,
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If He doth set on him His heart, His spirit and his breath unto Him He gathereth.
15 all humanity would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.
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Expire doth all flesh together, And man to dust returneth.
16 “If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say.
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And if [there is] understanding, hear this, Give ear to the voice of my words.
17 Can someone who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One?
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Yea, doth one hating justice govern? Or the Most Just dost thou condemn?
18 Is he not the One who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’
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Who hath said to a king -- `Worthless,' Unto princes -- `Wicked?'
19 who shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?
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That hath not accepted the person of princes, Nor hath known the rich before the poor, For a work of His hands [are] all of them.
20 They die in an instant, in the middle of the night; the people are shaken and they pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand.
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[In] a moment they die, and at midnight Shake do people, and they pass away, And they remove the mighty without hand.
21 “His eyes are on the ways of mortals; he sees their every step.
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For His eyes [are] on the ways of each, And all his steps He doth see.
22 There is no deep shadow, no utter darkness, where evildoers can hide.
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There is no darkness nor death-shade, For workers of iniquity to be hidden there;
23 God has no need to examine people further, that they should come before him for judgment.
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For He doth not suffer man any more, To go unto God in judgment,
24 Without inquiry he shatters the mighty and sets up others in their place.
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He breaketh the mighty -- no searching! And He appointeth others in their stead.
25 Because he takes note of their deeds, he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.
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Therefore He knoweth their works, And He hath overturned by night, And they are bruised.
26 He punishes them for their wickedness where everyone can see them,
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As wicked He hath stricken them, In the place of beholders.
27 because they turned from following him and had no regard for any of his ways.
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Because that against right They have turned aside from after Him, And none of His ways have considered wisely,
28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before him, so that he heard the cry of the needy.
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To cause to come in unto Him The cry of the poor, And the cry of the afflicted He heareth.
29 But if he remains silent, who can condemn him? If he hides his face, who can see him? Yet he is over individual and nation alike,
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And He giveth rest, and who maketh wrong? And hideth the face, and who beholdeth it? And in reference to a nation and to a man, [It is] the same.
30 to keep the godless from ruling, from laying snares for the people.
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From the reigning of a profane man, From the snares of a people;
31 “Suppose someone says to God, ‘I am guilty but will offend no more.
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For unto God hath any said: `I have taken away, I do not corruptly,
32 Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’
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Besides [that which] I see, shew Thou me, If iniquity I have done -- I do not add?'
33 Should God then reward you on your terms, when you refuse to repent? You must decide, not I; so tell me what you know.
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By thee doth He recompense, That thou hast refused -- That thou dost choose, and not I? And what thou hast known, speak.
34 “Men of understanding declare, wise men who hear me say to me,
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Let men of heart say to me, And a wise man is hearkening to me.
35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’
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Job -- not with knowledge doth he speak, And his words [are] not with wisdom.
36 Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost for answering like a wicked man!
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My Father! let Job be tried -- unto victory, Because of answers for men of iniquity,
37 To his sin he adds rebellion; scornfully he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.”
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For he doth add to his sin, Transgression among us he vomiteth, And multiplieth his sayings to God.
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Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.