|
|
|
|
1. Then Elihu continued his speech:
|
1. Furthermore Elihu H453 answered H6030 and said H559 ,
|
|
2. "Listen to what I say, you wise men. Pay attention, you who know so much.
|
2. Hear H8085 my words H4405 , O ye wise H2450 men ; and give ear H238 unto me , ye that have knowledge H3045 .
|
|
3. Your tongue tastes the food it touches, and your ear tests the words it hears.
|
3. For H3588 the ear H241 trieth H974 words H4405 , as the mouth H2441 tasteth H2938 meat H398 .
|
|
4. So let us test these arguments and decide for ourselves what is right. Together we will learn what is good.
|
4. Let us choose H977 to us judgment H4941 : let us know H3045 among H996 ourselves what H4100 is good H2896 .
|
|
5. Job says, 'I am innocent, and God is not being fair to me.
|
5. For H3588 Job H347 hath said H559 , I am righteous H6663 : and God H410 hath taken away H5493 my judgment H4941 .
|
|
6. I am right, but I am judged to be a liar. I have done no wrong, but I am badly hurt.'
|
6. Should I lie H3576 against H5921 my right H4941 ? my wound H2671 is incurable H605 without H1097 transgression H6588 .
|
|
7. "Would anyone but Job say such things? He has more thirst for insulting God than for water.
|
7. What H4310 man H1397 is like Job H347 , who drinketh up H8354 scorning H3933 like water H4325 ?
|
|
8. He is a friend of evil people. He likes to spend time with the wicked.
|
8. Which goeth H732 in company H2274 with H5973 the workers H6466 of iniquity H205 , and walketh H1980 with H5973 wicked H7562 men H376 .
|
|
9. I know this because he says, 'You will gain nothing if you try to please God.'
|
9. For H3588 he hath said H559 , It profiteth H5532 a man H1397 nothing H3808 that he should delight H7521 himself with H5973 God H430 .
|
|
10. "You men can understand, so listen to me. God would never do what is evil! God All-Powerful would never do wrong.
|
10. Therefore H3651 hearken H8085 unto me , ye men H376 of understanding H3824 : far be it H2486 from God H410 , that he should do wickedness H4480 H7562 ; and from the Almighty H7706 , that he should commit iniquity H4480 H5766 .
|
|
11. He pays us back for what we have done. He gives us what we deserve.
|
11. For H3588 the work H6467 of a man H120 shall he render H7999 unto him , and cause every man H376 to find H4672 according to his ways H734 .
|
|
12. The truth is that God does no wrong. God All-Powerful is always fair.
|
12. Yea H637 , surely H551 God H410 will not H3808 do wickedly H7561 , neither H3808 will the Almighty H7706 pervert H5791 judgment H4941 .
|
|
13. No one chose God to be in charge of the earth. No one gave him responsibility for the whole world.
|
13. Who H4310 hath given him a charge H6485 H5921 over the earth H776 ? or who H4310 hath disposed H7760 the whole H3605 world H8398 ?
|
|
14. If God decided to take away his spirit and the breath of life he gave us,
|
14. If H518 he set H7760 his heart H3820 upon H413 man, if he gather H622 unto H413 himself his spirit H7307 and his breath H5397 ;
|
|
15. then everything on earth would die. We would all become dust again.
|
15. All H3605 flesh H1320 shall perish H1478 together H3162 , and man H120 shall turn again H7725 unto H5921 dust H6083 .
|
|
16. "If you men are wise, you will listen to what I say.
|
16. If H518 now thou hast understanding H998 , hear H8085 this H2063 : hearken H238 to the voice H6963 of my words H4405 .
|
|
17. Can someone be a ruler if he hates justice? Job, God is not only powerful, but he is fair. Do you think you can judge him guilty?
|
17. Shall even H637 he that hateth H8130 right H4941 govern H2280 ? and wilt thou condemn H7561 him that is most H3524 just H6662 ?
|
|
18. God is the one who says to kings, 'You are worthless!' He says to leaders, 'You are evil!'
|
18. Is it fit to say H559 to a king H4428 , Thou art wicked H1100 ? and to H413 princes H5081 , Ye are ungodly H7563 ?
|
|
19. He does not respect leaders more than other people. And he does not respect the rich more than the poor. God made everyone.
|
19. How much less to him that H834 accepteth H5375 not H3808 the persons H6440 of princes H8269 , nor H3808 regardeth H5234 the rich H7771 more than H6440 the poor H1800 ? for H3588 they all H3605 are the work H4639 of his hands H3027 .
|
|
20. Any of us can die suddenly, in the middle of the night. Anyone can get sick and pass away. Even powerful people die for no reason we can see.
|
20. In a moment H7281 shall they die H4191 , and the people H5971 shall be troubled H1607 at midnight H2676 H3915 , and pass away H5674 : and the mighty H47 shall be taken away H5493 without H3808 hand H3027 .
|
|
21. "God watches what people do. He sees every step they take.
|
21. For H3588 his eyes H5869 are upon H5921 the ways H1870 of man H376 , and he seeth H7200 all H3605 his goings H6806 .
|
|
22. There is no place dark enough for evil people to hide from God.
|
22. There is no H369 darkness H2822 , nor H369 shadow of death H6757 , where H8033 the workers H6466 of iniquity H205 may hide themselves H5641 .
|
|
23. God does not need to set a time for people to come before him and be judged.
|
23. For H3588 he will not H3808 lay H7760 upon H5921 man H376 more H5750 than right ; that he should enter H1980 into judgment H4941 with H413 God H410 .
|
|
24. He does not have to ask questions when people do wrong, even if they are powerful leaders. He simply destroys them and chooses others to take their place.
|
24. He shall break in pieces H7489 mighty men H3524 without H3808 number H2714 , and set H5975 others H312 in their stead H8478 .
|
|
25. When he learns what people have done, he defeats them, and overnight they are gone.
|
25. Therefore H3651 he knoweth H5234 their works H4566 , and he overturneth H2015 them in the night H3915 , so that they are destroyed H1792 .
|
|
26. He will punish them for the evil they have done, and he will do it where everyone can see.
|
26. He striketh H5606 them as H8478 wicked men H7563 in the open H4725 sight H7200 of others;
|
|
27. He will do this because they rebelled against him and ignored what he wanted.
|
27. Because H834 H3651 H5921 they turned back H5493 from H4480 H310 him , and would not H3808 consider H7919 any H3605 of his ways H1870 :
|
|
28. They hurt the poor and made them cry to God for help. And he hears their cry!
|
28. So that they cause the cry H6818 of the poor H1800 to come H935 unto H5921 him , and he heareth H8085 the cry H6818 of the afflicted H6041 .
|
|
29. But if God decides not to help them, no one can judge him guilty. If he hides himself, no one can find him. He is the ruler over every person and nation.
|
29. When he H1931 giveth quietness H8252 , who H4310 then can make trouble H7561 ? and when he hideth H5641 his face H6440 , who H4310 then can behold H7789 him? whether it be done against H5921 a nation H1471 , or against H5921 a man H120 only H3162 :
|
|
30. And if a ruler causes people to sin, God will remove him from power.
|
30. That the hypocrite H120 H2611 reign not H4480 H4427 , lest the people H5971 be ensnared H4480 H4170 .
|
|
31. "But what if someone says to God, 'I am guilty; I will not sin anymore'?
|
31. Surely it is meet H3588 to be said H559 unto H413 God H410 , I have borne H5375 chastisement , I will not H3808 offend H2254 any more :
|
|
32. What if that person says, 'Show me the sins I am not able to see. If I have done wrong, I will not do it again'?
|
32. That which I see H2372 not H1107 teach H3384 thou H859 me: if H518 I have done H6466 iniquity H5766 , I will do H3254 no H3808 more.
|
|
33. Job, you want God to reward you, but you refuse to change. It is your decision, not mine. Tell me what you think.
|
33. Should it be according to thy mind H4480 H5973 ? he will recompense H7999 it, whether H3588 thou refuse H3988 , or whether H3588 thou H859 choose H977 ; and not H3808 I H589 : therefore speak H1696 what H4100 thou knowest H3045 .
|
|
34. A wise person would listen to me. A wise person would say,
|
34. Let men H376 of understanding H3824 tell H559 me , and let a wise H2450 man H1397 hearken H8085 unto me.
|
|
35. 'Job talks like an ignorant person. What he says doesn't make sense!'
|
35. Job H347 hath spoken H1696 without H3808 knowledge H1847 , and his words H1697 were without H3808 wisdom H7919 .
|
|
36. I think Job should be punished even more, because he answers us like someone who is evil!
|
36. My desire H15 is that Job H347 may be tried H974 unto H5704 the end H5331 because H5921 of his answers H8666 for wicked H205 men H376 .
|
|
37. He adds rebellion to his other sins. He sits there insulting us and arguing with God!"
|
37. For H3588 he addeth H3254 rebellion H6588 unto H5921 his sin H2403 , he clappeth H5606 his hands among H996 us , and multiplieth H7235 his words H561 against God H410 .
|