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34:1 Then Elihu continued and said, 34:2 "Hear my words, you wise men, And listen to me, you who know. 34:3 "For the ear tests words, As the palate tastes food. 34:4 "Let us choose for ourselves what is right; Let us know among ourselves what is good. 34:5 "For Job has said, 'I am righteous, But God has taken away my right; 34:6 Should I lie concerning my right? My wound is incurable, [though I am] without transgression.' 34:7 "What man is like Job, Who drinks up derision like water, 34:8 Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, And walks with wicked men? 34:9 "For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing When he is pleased with God.' 34:10 "Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wickedness, And from the Almighty to do wrong. 34:11 "For He pays a man according to his work, And makes him find it according to his way. 34:12 "Surely, God will not act wickedly, And the Almighty will not pervert justice. 34:13 "Who gave Him authority over the earth? And who has laid [on Him] the whole world? 34:14 "If He should determine to do so, If He should gather to Himself His spirit and His breath, 34:15 All flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust. 34:16 "But if [you have] understanding, hear this; Listen to the sound of my words. 34:17 "Shall one who hates justice rule? And will you condemn a righteous mighty one, 34:18 Who says to a king, 'Worthless one,' To nobles, 'Wicked ones'; 34:19 Who shows no partiality to princes, Nor regards the rich above the poor, For they all are the work of His hands? 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. 34:21 "For His eyes are upon the ways of a man, And He sees all his steps. 34:22 "There is no darkness or deep shadow Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. 34:23 "For He does not [need to] consider a man further, That he should go before God in judgment. 34:24 "He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, And sets others in their place. 34:25 "Therefore He knows their works, And He overthrows [them] in the night, And they are crushed. 34:26 "He strikes them like the wicked In a public place, 34:27 Because they turned aside from following Him, And had no regard for any of His ways; 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-- 34:29 When He keeps quiet, who then can condemn? And when He hides His face, who then can behold Him, That is, in regard to both nation and man?-- 34:30 So that godless men should not rule, Nor be snares of the people. 34:31 "For has anyone said to God, 'I have borne [chastisement]; I will not offend [anymore]; 34:32 Teach Thou me what I do not see; If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more '? 34:33 "Shall He recompense on your terms, because you have rejected [it]? For you must choose, and not I; Therefore declare what you know. 34:34 "Men of understanding will say to me, And a wise man who hears me, 34:35 'Job speaks without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom. 34:36 'Job ought to be tried to the limit, Because he answers like wicked men. 34:37 'For he adds rebellion to his sin; He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God.'"