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¹ Elihu further answered and said: ² "Hear my words, you wise men; Give ear to me, you who have knowledge. ³ For the ear tests words As the palate tastes food. ⁴ Let us choose justice for ourselves; Let us know among ourselves what is good. ⁵ "For Job has said, "I am righteous, But God has taken away my justice; ⁶ Should I lie concerning my right? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.' ⁷ What man is like Job, Who drinks scorn 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 That he should delight in God.'

¹⁰ "Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: Far be it from God to do wickedness, And from the Almighty to commit iniquity. ¹¹ For He repays man according to his work, And makes man to find a reward according to his way. ¹² Surely God will never do wickedly, Nor will the Almighty pervert justice. ¹³ Who gave Him charge over the earth? Or who appointed Him over the whole world? ¹⁴ If He should set His heart on it, If He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath, ¹⁵ All flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust.

¹⁶ "If you have understanding, hear this; Listen to the sound of my words: ¹⁷ Should one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn Him who is most just? ¹⁸ Is it fitting to say to a king, "You are worthless,' And to nobles, "You are wicked'? ¹⁹ Yet He is not partial to princes, Nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; For they are all the work of His hands. ²⁰ In a moment they die, in the middle of the night; The people are shaken and pass away; The mighty are taken away without a hand. ²¹ "For His eyes are on the ways of man, And He sees all his steps. ²² There is no darkness nor shadow of death Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. ²³ For He need not further consider a man, 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; He overthrows them in the night, And they are crushed. ²⁶ He strikes them as wicked men In the open sight of others, ²⁷ Because they turned back from Him, And would not consider any of His ways, ²⁸ So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him; For He hears the cry of the afflicted. ²⁹ When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble? And when He hides His face, who then can see Him, Whether it is against a nation or a man alone?-- ³⁰ That the hypocrite should not reign, Lest the people be ensnared.

³¹ "For has anyone said to God, "I have borne chastening; I will offend no more; ³² Teach me what I do not see; If I have done iniquity, I will do no more'? ³³ Should He repay it according to your terms, Just because you disavow it? You must choose, and not I; Therefore speak what you know. ³⁴ "Men of understanding say to me, Wise men who listen to me: ³⁵ "Job speaks without knowledge, His words are without wisdom.' ³⁶ Oh, that Job were tried to the utmost, Because his answers are like those of wicked men! ³⁷ For he adds rebellion to his sin; He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God."