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34:1 Then Elihu continued and said: 34:2 "Hear my words, you wise men, and give ear to me, you who know; 34:3 for the ear tests words as the palate tastes food. 34:4 Let us choose what is right; let us determine among ourselves what is good. 34:5 For Job has said, 'I am innocent, and God has taken away my right; 34:6 in spite of being right I am counted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.' 34:7 Who is there like Job, who drinks up scoffing like water, 34:8 who goes in company with evildoers and walks with the wicked? 34:9 For he has said, 'It profits one nothing to take delight in God.' 34:10 "Therefore, hear me, you who have sense, far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong. 34:11 For according to their deeds he will repay them, and according to their ways he will make it befall them. 34:12 Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice. 34:13 Who gave him charge over the earth and who laid on him the whole world? 34:14 If he should take back his spirit to himself, and gather to himself his breath, 34:15 all flesh would perish together, and all mortals return to dust. 34:16 "If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say. 34:17 Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn one who is righteous and mighty, 34:18 who says to a king, 'You scoundrel!' and to princes, 'You wicked men!'; 34:19 who shows no partiality to nobles, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands? 34:20 In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand. 34:21 "For his eyes are upon the ways of mortals, and he sees all their steps. 34:22 There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves. 34:23 For he has not appointed a time for anyone to go before God in judgment. 34:24 He shatters the mighty without investigation, and sets others in their place. 34:25 Thus, knowing their works, he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed. 34:26 He strikes them for their wickedness while others look on, 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 he heard the cry of the afflicted-- 34:29 When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or an individual?-- 34:30 so that the godless should not reign, or those who ensnare the people. 34:31 "For has anyone said to God, 'I have endured punishment; I will not offend any more; 34:32 teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more'? 34:33 Will he then pay back to suit you, because you reject it? For you must choose, and not I; therefore declare what you know. 34:34 Those who have sense will say to me, and the wise who hear me will say, 34:35 'Job speaks without knowledge, his words are without insight.' 34:36 Would that Job were tried to the limit, because his answers are those of the wicked. 34:37 For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us, and multiplies his words against God."