The Book of Job

34: 1Moreover Elihu answered and said,

 ^34:2Hear my words, ye wise men;

 And give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.

 ^34:3For the ear trieth words,

 As the palate tasteth food.

 ^34:4Let us choose for us that which is right:

 Let us know among ourselves what is good.

 ^34:5For Job hath said, I am righteous,

 And God hath taken away my right:

 ^34:6Notwithstanding my right I am accounted a liar;

 My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.

 ^34:7What man is like Job,

 Who drinketh up scoffing like water,

 ^34:8Who goeth in company with the workers of iniquity,

 And walketh with wicked men?

 ^34:9For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing

 That he should delight himself with God.

 ^34:10Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding:

 Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness,

 And from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.

 ^34:11For the work of a man will he render unto him,

 And cause every man to find according to his ways.

 ^34:12Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly,

 Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.

 ^34:13Who gave him a charge over the earth?

 Or who hath disposed the whole world?

 ^34:14If he set his heart upon himself,

 If he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;

 ^34:15All flesh shall perish together,

 And man shall turn again unto dust.
 
 

 ^34:16If now thou hast understanding, hear this:

 Hearken to the voice of my words.

 ^34:17Shall even one that hateth justice govern?

 And wilt thou condemn him that is righteous and mighty?-

 ^34:18Him that saith to a king, Thou art vile,

 Or to nobles, Ye are wicked;

 ^34:19That respecteth not the persons of princes,

 Nor regardeth the rich more than the poor;

 For they all are the work of his hands.

 ^34:20In a moment they die, even at midnight;

 The people are shaken and pass away,

 And the mighty are taken away without hand.
 
 

 ^34:21For his eyes are upon the ways of a man,

 And he seeth all his goings.

 ^34:22There is no darkness, nor thick gloom,

 Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

 ^34:23For he needeth not further to consider a man,

 That he should go before God in judgment.

 ^34:24He breaketh in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out,

 And setteth others in their stead.

 ^34:25Therefore he taketh knowledge of their works;

 And he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

 ^34:26He striketh them as wicked men

 In the open sight of others;

 ^34:27Because they turned aside from following him,

 And would not have regard in any of his ways:

 ^34:28So that they caused the cry of the poor to come unto him,

 And he heard the cry of the afflicted.

 ^34:29When he giveth quietness, who then can condemn?

 And when he hideth his face, who then can behold him?

 Alike whether it be done unto a nation, or unto a man:

 ^34:30That the godless man reign not,

 That there be none to ensnare the people.
 
 

 ^34:31For hath any said unto God,

 I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:

 ^34:32That which I see not teach thou me:

 If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?

 ^34:33Shall his recompense be as thou wilt, that thou refusest it?

 For thou must choose, and not I:

 Therefore speak what thou knowest.

 ^34:34Men of understanding will say unto me,

 Yea, every wise man that heareth me:

 ^34:35Job speaketh without knowledge,

 And his words are without wisdom.

 ^34:36Would that Job were tried unto the end,

 Because of his answering like wicked men.

 ^34:37For he addeth rebellion unto his sin;

 He clappeth his hands among us,

 And multiplieth his words against God.