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Job 34 :: Legacy Standard Bible (LSB)

Elihu Answers That God Will Be Just

Job 34:1

Then Elihu answered and said,

Job 34:2

“Hear my speech, you wise men,

And give ear to me, you who know.

Job 34:3

“For the ear tests words

As the palate tastes food.

Job 34:4

“Let us choose for ourselves what is just;

Let us know among ourselves what is good.

Job 34:5

“For Job has said, ‘I am righteous,

But God has removed my justice;

Job 34:6

[fn]Should I lie concerning my justice?

My [fn]wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’

Job 34:7

“What man is like Job,

Who drinks up mocking like water,

Job 34:8

But he travels in company with the workers of iniquity,

And walks with wicked men?

Job 34:9

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

When he [fn]is pleased with God.’

Job 34:10

“Therefore, listen to me, you men with a heart of wisdom.

Far be it from God to do injustice,

And from the Almighty to do wrong.

Job 34:11

“For He pays a man according to his work,

And makes [fn]him find it according to his way.

Job 34:12

“Truly, God will not act wickedly,

And the Almighty will not pervert justice.

Job 34:13

“Who appointed Him with authority over the earth?

And who has laid on Him the whole world?

Job 34:14

“If He should set His heart on it,

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

Job 34:15

All flesh would breathe its last together,

And man would return to dust.

Job 34:16

“But if you have understanding, hear this;

Give ear to the sound of my speech.

Job 34:17

“Shall one who hates justice [fn]rule?

And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,

Job 34:18

Who says to a king, ‘Vile one,’

To nobles, ‘Wicked ones’;

Job 34:19

Who shows no partiality to princes

Nor recognizes the rich above the poor,

For they all are the work of His hands?

Job 34:20

“In a moment they die, and at midnight

People are shaken and pass away,

And the mighty are taken away without a hand.

Job 34:21

“For His eyes are upon the ways of a man,

And He sees all his steps.

Job 34:22

“There is no darkness or shadow of death

Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

Job 34:23

[fn]For He does not need to consider a man further,

That he should go before God in judgment.

Job 34:24

“He breaks in pieces mighty men without searching anything out,

And sets others in their place.

Job 34:25

“Therefore He recognizes their labors,

And He overthrows them in the night,

And they are crushed.

Job 34:26

“He strikes them like the wicked

[fn]In a public place,

Job 34:27

Because they turned aside from following Him,

And had no insight from any of His ways;

Job 34:28

So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him,

And that He might hear the cry of the afflicted.

Job 34:29

So if He keeps quiet, who then can condemn?

So if He hides His face, who then can perceive Him?

He is above both nation and man altogether,

Job 34:30

So that godless men would not rule

Nor be snares of the people.

Job 34:31

“For has anyone said to God,

‘I have borne chastisement;

I will not work destructively anymore;

Job 34:32

Instruct me what I do not behold;

If I have done injustice,

I will not do it again’?

Job 34:33

“Shall He repay on your terms, because you have rejected it?

For you must choose, and not I;

Therefore say what you know.

Job 34:34

“Men with a heart of wisdom will say to me,

And a wise man who hears me,

Job 34:35

‘Job speaks without knowledge,

And his words are without insight.

Job 34:36

‘Job ought to be tested [fn]to the limit

Because he answers like wicked men.

Job 34:37

‘For he adds transgression to his sin;

He strikes his hands together among us,

And multiplies his words against God.’”

LSB Footnotes
Or Although I am right I am accounted a liar
Lit arrow
Or takes delight in God
Lit a man
Lit bind
Or For he does not set upon man the time to go to God in the judgment
Lit In the place of the ones seeing
Or to the end
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