341 Then Elihu continued and said , 2 "Hear my words , you wise men , And listen to me, you who know . 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 . 5 "For Job has said , ' I am righteous , But God has taken away my right ; 6 Should I lie concerning my right ? My wound is incurable , though I am without transgression .' 7 "What man is like Job , Who drinks up derision like water , 8 Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity , And walks with wicked men ? 9 "For he has said , ' It profits a man nothing When he is pleased with 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 . 11 "For He pays a man according to his work , And makes him find it according to his way . 12 "Surely e , God will not act 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 ? 14 "If He should determine e to do so, If He should gather to Himself His spirit and His breath , 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 . 17 "Shall one who hates justice rule ? And will you condemn the righteous mighty One , 18 Who says to a king , 'Worthless one ,' To nobles , 'Wicked ones '; 19 Who shows no partiality e to princes Nor regards the rich above the poor , For they all are the work of His hands ? 20 "In a moment they die , and at midnight e People are shaken and pass away , And the mighty are taken away without a hand . 21 "For His eyes are upon 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. 23 "For He does not 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 . 25 "Therefore He knows their works , And He overthrows them in the night , And they are crushed . 26 "He strikes them like the wicked In a public place , 27 Because e e 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 - 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 ?- 30 So that godless men would not rule Nor be snares of the people .
31 "For has anyone said to God , 'I have borne chastisement; I will not offend anymore; 32 Teach me what I do not see ; If I have done iniquity , I will not do it again '? 33 "Shall He recompense on your terms , because you have rejected 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, 35 'Job speaks without knowledge , And his words are without wisdom . 36 'Job ought to be tried to the limit , 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 .' "
