^34:1 Moreover Elihu answered and said, ^34:2 Hear my words, you^* wise men and listen to me, you^* who have knowledge. ^34:3 For the ear tries words as the palate tastes food. ^34:4 Let us choose for us what is right. Let us know among ourselves what is good.

    ^34:5 For Job has said, I am righteous and God has taken away my right. ^34:6 Should I lie against my right? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.

    ^34:7 What man is like Job, who drinks up scorning like water, ^34:8 saying, I have not sinned, nor committed unrighteousness, nor wayfaring in association with workers of wickedness to go with the profane. ^34:9 For you should not say, There will be no visitation to a man; visitation is to him from the Lord.

    ^34:10 Therefore listen to me, you^* men of understanding. Far be it from me to sin before the Lord and pervert righteousness before the Almighty.^34:11 For the work of a man he will render to him and cause every man to find according to his ways. ^34:12Yes, certainly God will not do wrong. Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.

    ^34:13 Who gave him a charge over the earth? Or who has disposed the whole world? ^34:14 If he sets his heart upon himself, if he gathers his spirit and his breath to himself, ^34:15 all flesh will perish together and man will turn again to dust.

    ^34:16 If now you are understanding, hear this. Listen to the voice of words. ^34:17 Behold he who hates lawlessness and who destroys evil men, who is forever righteousness, ^34:18 who says to a king, You are worthless, to ranking men, You^* are wicked, ^34:19 who does not respect the persons of rulers, nor regards the rich more than the poor. For they all are the work of his hands.

    ^34:20 In a moment they die, even at midnight. The people are shaken and pass away and the mighty are taken away without hand.

    ^34:21 For his eyes are upon the ways of a man and he sees all his goings. ^34:22 There is no darkness, nor thick gloom where the workers of wickedness may hide themselves. ^34:23 For he needs no further to consider a man, that he should go before God in judgment.

    ^34:24 He breaks in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out and sets others in their stead. ^34:25Therefore he takes knowledge of their works and he overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

    ^34:26 He slaps them as wicked men in the open sight of others ^34:27 because they turned aside from following him and would not have regard in any of his ways, ^34:28 so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him and he heard the cry of the afflicted.

    ^34:29 When he gives quietness, who then can condemn? And when he hides his face, who then can behold him? It is the same whether to a nation, or to a man, ^34:30 that the profane man not reign, that there is none to ensnare the people.

    ^34:31 For has any said to God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more; ^34:32 teach me what I do not see; if I have done unrighteousness, I will do it no more? ^34:33 Shall his recompense be as you desire, that you refuse it? For you must choose and not I. Therefore speak what you know.

    ^34:34 Men of understanding will say to me, yes, every wise man who hears me, ^34:35 Job speaks without knowledge and his words are without wisdom. ^34:36 But surely not.

    Learn you Job not to still give an answer like the foolish, ^34:37 so that we may not add to our sins and he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.