Job 34
1THEN Elius proceeded and said:
2Hearken to me, ye wise men, and ye who have knowledge listen attentively.
3For the ear trieth words and the palate tasteth meats.
4Let us take upon us the right of judging: Let us know among ourselves what is good.
5For Job hath said, “I am righteous: the Lord hath removed from me the trial;
6and hath disappointed me of my trial. My wound is grievous without transgression.”
7What man is there like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water—
8who hath neither sinned, nor been guilty of impiety—nor associated with the workers of iniquity to walk with impious men?
9For thou shouldst not say, There shall be no visitation of man. He shall indeed have a visitation from the Lord.
10Therefore hearken to me, ye who are wise in heart. Far be it from me to be profane before the Lord; or before the Almighty to disturb the course of justice.
11But [thou sayest] He should render to every man according to each one’s work; so that in His own paths every man may find Him.
12But dost thou think that the Lord will do improper things? Or will the Almighty who made the earth, pervert judgment?
13Now who is this maker of the world and of all the things therein?
14For were it His pleasure to confine, and keep to Himself, the wind,
15all flesh would expire together; and every mortal would return to earth, of which they were formed.
16See that thou be not chastened. Hear these things; listen attentively to the sound of words.
17Consider that He who hateth iniquity; and that He who destroyeth the wicked, being eternal, is just.
18He is irreverent, who saith to a king, Thou transgressest; [or] to princes, You are acting impiously.
19Who hath no respect for the person of an honourable man; nor knoweth how to honour nobles by respecting their persons.
20But it should be in vain for them to cry or to entreat a man, for they behaved wickedly in turning aside the weak.
21For He is the observer of men’s actions, and nothing that they do can escape His notice:
22nor can there be a place, where the workers of iniquity can be concealed.
23That He will not yet set Himself against a [single] man
24is because the Lord superintendeth all, in ways unsearchable: glorious and wonderful, not to be numbered.
25“As He knoweth their works [thou sayest], He should bring on night and they should be humbled.
26But hath He extinguished the wicked though they are visible before Him?
27Because they turned aside from the law of God and did not acknowledge His judgments,
28when they cause the cry of the poor to ascend to Him, He should hearken to the cry of the poor.”
29But when He giveth rest, who shall call Him to account? When He hideth His face, who can see Him? Both against a nation, and against a man at the same time,
30He maketh a hypocritic man king; because of the perverseness of a people.
31Because one saith to the Almighty, “I have taken, I will not again take a pledge:
32I will look beyond myself; do thou shew me: If I have done iniquity, I will do so no more.”
33Will He punish thee for that iniquity? For thou must deny—for thou must draw the conclusion, not I: therefore speak what thou knowest.
34For they who are wise in heart will say the same: and a wise man hath heard this word of mine.
35Job indeed hath not spoken with wisdom: his words are not with understanding.
36Therefore let Job learn and no more make reply like the foolish;
37that we may not add to our transgressions. For iniquity will be charged to our account, if we multiply speeches before the Lord.