1And Elihu answered and said:
2“Hear my words, you wise ones, and give ear to me, you who have knowledge.
3For the ear tests words as the palate tastes food.
4Let us choose for ourselves what is just; let us know among ourselves what is good.
5For Job has said, ‘I am righteous, but God has removed my justice.’
6Concerning my judgment, should I lie? My wound is incurable, though without transgression.
7What man is like Job, who drinks up mockery like water?
8who travels in company with evildoers and walks with wicked men?
9For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.’
10Therefore, men of understanding, hear me: Far be it from God to do wickedness, and from the Almighty to do wrong!
11For according to a person’s deed he repays him, and according to a man’s way he causes him to find it.
12Indeed, in truth, God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
13Who committed the earth to his charge? And who set in place the whole world?
14If he should set his heart upon himself, if he should gather to himself his spirit and his breath,
15all flesh would perish together, and humanity would return to dust.
16If there is understanding, hear this; give ear to the sound of my words.
17Can one who hates justice govern? Or will you condemn the Mighty Righteous One?
18Is it fitting to say to a king, ‘You worthless one,’ to nobles, ‘You wicked one’?
19who shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands.
20In a moment they die, even at midnight; the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are removed without a hand.
21For his eyes are upon the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.
22There is no darkness and no deep shadow where evildoers may hide themselves.
23For he need not further consider a man, that he should go before God in judgment.
24He shatters the mighty without inquiry and sets others in their place.
25Therefore he takes note of their deeds; he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
26He strikes them as wicked men in the sight of onlookers,
27because they turned aside from following him and had no regard for any of his ways,
28so as to bring before him the cry of the poor, and he hears the cry of the afflicted.
29When he keeps quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him — whether over a nation or over a man alike?
30so that a godless man should not reign, one who ensnares the people.
31For has anyone said to God, ‘I have borne my punishment; I will not offend again;
32teach me what I do not see; if I have done wrong, I will do so no more’?
33Should he then repay it on your terms, because you have rejected it? For you must choose, and not I; so declare what you know.
34Men of understanding will say to me, and any wise man who hears me:
35‘Job speaks without knowledge, and his words are without insight.’
36Would that Job were tested to the limit, because of answers like those of wicked men!
37For he adds rebellion to his sin; among us he claps his hands, and multiplies his words against God.
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