Job 34:1-23

Elihu Vindicates God’s Justice

¹Then Elihu continued and said,

2“Hear my words, you wise men,

And listen to me, you who understand.

3“For the ear tests words

As the palate tastes food.

4“Let us choose for ourselves what is right;

Let us understand among ourselves what is good.

5“For Job has said, ‘I am righteous,

But God has taken away my right;

6Should I lie about my right?

My wound is incurable, though I am without wrongdoing.’

7“What man is like Job,

Who drinks up derision like water,

8Who goes in company with the workers of injustice,

And walks with wicked people?

9“For he has said, ‘It is of no use to a man

When he becomes friends with God.’

10“Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding.

Far be it from God to do evil,

And from the Almighty to do wrong.

11“For He repays a person for his work,

And lets things happen in correspondence to a man’s behavior.

12“God certainly will not act wickedly,

And the Almighty will not pervert justice.

13“Who gave Him authority over the earth?

And who has placed the whole world on Him?

14“If He were to determine to do so,

If He were to gather His spirit and His breath to Himself,

15Humanity would perish together,

And mankind 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,

18Who says to a king, ‘You worthless one,’

To nobles, ‘You wicked one’;

19Who shows no partiality to the prominent,

Nor regards the rich as above the poor,

Since they are all the work of His hands?

20“In a moment they die, and at midnight

People are shaken and pass away,

And the powerful are taken away without a hand.

21“For His eyes are upon the ways of a person,

And He sees all his steps.

22“There is no darkness or deep shadow

Where the workers of injustice can hide themselves.

23“For He does not need to consider a person further,

That he should go before God in judgment.