34 ¹Furthermore Elihu answered and said, ²Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge. ³For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat. ⁴Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good. ⁵For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment. ⁶Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable without transgression. ⁷What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water? ⁸Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men. ⁹For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God. ¹⁰Therefore hearken unto me ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity. ¹¹For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways. ¹²Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment. ¹³Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world? ¹⁴If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; ¹⁵All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust. ¹⁶If now thou hast understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words. ¹⁷Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just? ¹⁸Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly? ¹⁹How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands. ²⁰In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand. ²¹For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings. ²²There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. ²³For he will not lay upon man more than right; that he should enter into judgment with God. ²⁴He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead. ²⁵Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed. ²⁶He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others; ²⁷Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways: ²⁸So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted. ²⁹When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only: ³⁰That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared. ³¹Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more: ³²That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more. ³³Should it be according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I: therefore speak what thou knowest. ³⁴Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto me. ³⁵Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom. ³⁶My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men. ³⁷For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.

35 ¹Elihu spake moreover, and said, ²Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's? ³For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin? ⁴I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee. ⁵Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou. ⁶If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him? ⁷If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand? ⁸Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man. ⁹By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty. ¹⁰But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night; ¹¹Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven? ¹²There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men. ¹³Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it. ¹⁴Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him. ¹⁵But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity: ¹⁶Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.

36 ¹Elihu also proceeded, and said, ²Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf. ³I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. ⁴For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee. ⁵Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom. ⁶He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor. ⁷He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted. ⁸And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction; ⁹Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded. ¹⁰He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity. ¹¹If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. ¹²But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge. ¹³But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them. ¹⁴They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean. ¹⁵He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression. ¹⁶Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness. ¹⁷But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee. ¹⁸Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. ¹⁹Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength. ²⁰Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place. ²¹Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction. ²²Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him? ²³Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity? ²⁴Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold. ²⁵Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off. ²⁶Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out. ²⁷For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof: ²⁸Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly. ²⁹Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle? ³⁰Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea. ³¹For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance. ³²With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt. ³³The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.