International Standard Version | English Standard Version |
1Elihu continued speaking, and said: | 1Then Elihu answered and said: |
2"Listen to what I have to say, you wise men! Pay attention to me, you educated people! | 2“Hear my words, you wise men, and give ear to me, you who know; |
3Since the ear tests words like a palate tastes food, | 3for the ear tests words as the palate tastes food. |
4let's choose what's right for us. Let's consider among ourselves what is good." | 4Let us choose what is right; let us know among ourselves what is good. |
5Now this is Job's claim: 'Even though I'm innocent, God has stopped treating me righteously. | 5For Job has said, ‘I am in the right, and God has taken away my right; |
6Have I lied concerning the justice that I deserve? My wound is incurable, though transgression cannot be attributed to me.' | 6in spite of my right I am counted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’ |
7"What man is like Job, who drinks mockery like water, | 7What man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing like water, |
8traffics in those who practice evil, and walks with wicked people? | 8who travels in company with evildoers and walks with wicked men? |
9Because he says, 'There's no profit for a man to find joy with God.'" | 9For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should take delight in God.’ |
10"Therefore you men of understanding, listen to me! Far be it for God to practice wickedness, or the Almighty to do what is wrong, | 10“Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong. |
11because he repays a person for his behavior; and according to a person's conduct, he lets it happen to him. | 11For according to the work of a man he will repay him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him. |
12Truly, God doesn't practice wickedness, and the Almighty doesn't pervert justice. | 12Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice. |
13Who entrusted the earth to him? Who made him responsible for the entire inhabited world? | 13Who gave him charge over the earth, and who laid on him the whole world? |
14If he were to decide to do so, that is, to take back to himself his spirit and breath of life, | 14If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath, |
15every living thing would die all at once, and mankind would return to dust." | 15all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust. |
16If you have understanding, listen to this! Pay attention to what I have to say: | 16“If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say. |
17Can one who hates justice really govern? And if God is righteous and mighty, can you condemn him? | 17Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty, |
18Can one say to a king, 'You're vile!' or to nobles, 'You're wicked!'? | 18who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’ and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’ |
19Who isn't partial to princes? Who doesn't give preference to the nobles over the poor? Nevertheless, all of them are his handiwork. | 19who shows no partiality to princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands? |
20"They die suddenly, in the middle of the night; people suffer seizures and pass away; even valiant men can be taken away— and not by human hands. | 20In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand. |
21Yes, Job, his eyes constantly watch the behavior of human beings; he carefully observes their every step. | 21“For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps. |
22There's no such thing as darkness to him— not even deep darkness— that can conceal those who practice evil. | 22There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves. |
23He won't examine mankind further, that they would go before God to judgment. | 23For God has no need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment. |
24He shatters valiant men without a need to investigate, and he raises others in their place. | 24He shatters the mighty without investigation and sets others in their place. |
25Thus he acknowledges their behavior, and overcomes them; when night time comes, they are crushed. | 25Thus, knowing their works, he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed. |
26"He strikes the wicked among them in a place where they can be seen | 26He strikes them for their wickedness in a place for all to see, |
27because they've abandoned their pursuit of him and had no respect for any of his ways. | 27because they turned aside from following him and had no regard for any of his ways, |
28As a result, the cries of the poor have reached him and he has heard the cry of the afflicted. | 28so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted— |
29"If he remains silent, who will condemn him? If he conceals his face, who can see him? He watches over both nation and individual alike, | 29When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or a man?— |
30to keep the godless man from reigning or laying a snare for the people." | 30that a godless man should not reign, that he should not ensnare the people. |
31"Has anyone ever really told God, 'I've endured, and I won't act corruptly anymore. | 31“For has anyone said to God, ‘I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more; |
32What I don't see, instruct me! If I've done anything evil, I won't repeat it!' | 32teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’? |
33"Should you not be paid back, since you have rejected him? You do the choosing! I won't! Tell us what you know! | 33Will he then make repayment to suit you, because you reject it? For you must choose, and not I; therefore declare what you know. |
34"Men of understanding, speak to me! Are any of you men wise? Then listen to me! | 34Men of understanding will say to me, and the wise man who hears me will say: |
35Job has been speaking from his own ignorance, and what he has to say lacks insight! | 35‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without insight.’ |
36Oh, how Job needs to be given a full court trial, as a rebuke to those who practice evil, | 36Would that Job were tried to the end, because he answers like wicked men. |
37because he has been adding rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us, and keeps on ranting against God." | 37For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.” |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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