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Job 34 :: New American Standard Bible 2020 (NASB20)

Elihu Vindicates God’s Justice

Job 34:1

Then Elihu continued and said,

Job 34:2

“Hear my words, you wise men,

And listen to me, you who understand.

Job 34:3

“For the ear tests words

As the palate tastes food.

Job 34:4

“Let us choose for ourselves what is right;

Let us understand among ourselves what is good.

Job 34:5

“For Job has said, ‘I am righteous,

But God has taken away my right;

Job 34:6

[fn]Should I lie about my right?

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

Job 34:7

“What man is like Job,

Who drinks up derision like water,

Job 34:8

Who goes in company with the workers of injustice,

And walks with wicked people?

Job 34:9

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

When he becomes friends with God.’

Job 34:10

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

Far be it from God to do evil,

And from the Almighty to do wrong.

Job 34:11

“For He repays a person for his work,

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

Job 34:12

“God certainly will not act wickedly,

And the Almighty will not pervert justice.

Job 34:13

“Who gave Him authority over the earth?

And who has placed the whole world on Him?

Job 34:14

“If He were to [fn]determine to do so,

If He were to gather His [fn]spirit and His breath to Himself,

Job 34:15

[fn]Humanity would perish together,

And mankind would return to dust.

Job 34:16

“But if you have understanding, hear this;

Listen to the sound of my words.

Job 34:17

“Shall one who hates justice rule?

And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,

Job 34:18

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

To nobles, ‘You wicked one’;

Job 34:19

Who shows no partiality to the prominent,

Nor regards the rich as above the poor,

Since they are all the work of His hands?

Job 34:20

“In a moment they die, and at midnight

People are shaken and pass away,

And the powerful are taken away without a hand.

Job 34:21

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

And He sees all his steps.

Job 34:22

“There is no darkness or deep shadow

Where the workers of injustice can hide themselves.

Job 34:23

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

That he should go before God in judgment.

Job 34:24

“He breaks in pieces the mighty without investigation,

And sets others in their place.

Job 34:25

“Therefore He knows their deeds,

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 regard for any of His ways,

Job 34:28

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

And that He would hear the cry of the afflicted

Job 34:29

When He keeps quiet, who can condemn?

And when He hides His face, who then can look at Him,

That is, regarding both nation and a person?—

Job 34:30

“So that godless people would not rule,

Nor be snares for the people.

Job 34:31

“For has anyone said to God,

‘I have endured punishment;

I will not offend anymore;

Job 34:32

Teach me what I do not see;

If I have done wrong,

I will not do it again’?

Job 34:33

“Shall God repay on your terms, because you have rejected His?

For you must choose, and not I;

Therefore declare what you know.

Job 34:34

“Men of understanding will say to me,

And a wise man who hears me,

Job 34:35

‘Job speaks without knowledge,

And his words are without wisdom.

Job 34:36

‘Oh that Job were tested [fn]to the limit,

Because [fn]he answers like sinners.

Job 34:37

‘For he adds rebellion to his sin;

He claps his hands among us,

And multiplies his words against God.’”

NASB20 Footnotes
Or Although I am right I am accounted a liar.
Lit arrow
Lit way
Lit set His mind on Himself
Or Spirit
Lit All flesh
Lit In the place of the ones seeing
Or to the end
Lit of answers like
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Job Chapter 34 — Additional Translations: