✧1Moreover Elihu answered and said, ✧2Hear my words, ye wise men; And give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge. ✧3For the ear trieth words, As the palate tasteth food. ✧4Let us choose for us that which is right: Let us know among ourselves what is good. ✧5For Job hath said, I am righteous, And God hath taken away my right: ✧6Notwithstanding my right I am [accounted] a liar; My wound is incurable, [though I am] without transgression. ✧7What man is like Job, Who drinketh up scoffing like water, ✧8Who goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, And walketh with wicked men? ✧9For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing That he should delight himself with God.
American Standard Version (ASV). American Standard Version (1901). Public domain.
Therefore 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.
✧11For the work of a man will he render unto him, And cause every man to find according to his ways.
✧12Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly, Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
✧13Who gave him a charge over the earth? Or who hath disposed the whole world?
✧14If he set his heart upon himself, [If] he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
✧15All flesh shall perish together, And man shall turn again unto dust.
✧16If now [thou hast] understanding, hear this: Hearken to the voice of my words.
✧17Shall even one that hateth justice govern? And wilt thou condemn him that is righteous [and] mighty?—
✧18[Him] that saith to a king, [Thou art] vile, [Or] to nobles, [Ye are] wicked;
✧19That respecteth not the persons of princes, Nor regardeth the rich more than the poor; For they all are the work of his hands.
✧20In a moment they die, even at midnight; The people are shaken and pass away, And the mighty are taken away without hand.
✧21For his eyes are upon the ways of a man, And he seeth all his goings.
✧22There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
✧23For he needeth not further to consider a man, That he should go before God in judgment.
✧24He breaketh in pieces mighty men [in ways] past finding out, And setteth others in their stead.
✧25Therefore he taketh knowledge of their works; And he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
✧26He striketh them as wicked men In the open sight of others;
✧27Because they turned aside from following him, And would not have regard in any of his ways:
✧28So that they caused the cry of the poor to come unto him, And he heard the cry of the afflicted.
✧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:
✧30That the godless man reign not, That there be none to ensnare the people.
✧31For hath any said unto God, I have borne [chastisement], I will not offend [any more]:
✧32That which I see not teach thou me: If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?
✧33Shall his recompense be as thou wilt, that thou refusest it? For thou must choose, and not I: Therefore speak what thou knowest.
✧34Men of understanding will say unto me, Yea, every wise man that heareth me:
✧35Job speaketh without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom.
✧36Would that Job were tried unto the end, Because of his answering like wicked men.
✧37For he addeth rebellion unto his sin; He clappeth his hands among us, And multiplieth his words against God.