¹ Moreover Elihu answered, and said,

² Hear my words, ye wise men, and give ear to me, ye who have knowledge.

³ For the ear tries words as the palate tastes food.

⁴ Let us choose for us that which is right. Let us know among ourselves what is good.

⁵ For Job has said, I am righteous, and God has taken away my right.

⁶ Notwithstanding my right I am accounted a liar. My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.

⁷ What man is like Job, who drinks up scorning like water,

⁸ saying, I have not sinned, nor committed unrighteousness, nor had fellowship with workers of iniquity to go with the profane.

⁹ For thou should not say, There shall be no visitation to a man, whereas visitation is to him from the Lord.

¹⁰ Therefore hearken to me, ye men of understanding. Far be it from me to sin before the Lord, and pervert righteousness before the Almighty.

¹¹ For the work of a man he will render to him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.

¹² Yea, certainly God will not do wrong. Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.

¹³ Who gave him a charge over the earth? Or who has disposed the whole world?

¹⁴ If he sets his heart upon himself, if he gathers his spirit and his breath to himself,

¹⁵ all flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again to dust.

¹⁶ If now thou be understanding, hear this. Hearken to the voice of words.

¹⁷ Behold thou him who hates lawlessness, and who destroys evil men, who is forever righteousness,

¹⁸ him who says to a king, Thou are vile, to ranking men, Ye are wicked,

¹⁹ who does not respect the persons of rulers, nor regards the rich more than the poor. For they all are the work of his hands.

²⁰ In a moment they die, even at midnight. The people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away without hand.

²¹ For his eyes are upon the ways of a man, and he sees all his goings.

²² There is no darkness, nor thick gloom where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

²³ For he needs no further to consider a man, that he should go before God in judgment.

²⁴ He breaks in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out, and sets others in their stead.

²⁵ Therefore he takes knowledge of their works, and he overturns them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

²⁶ He strikes them as wicked men in the open sight of others

²⁷ because they turned aside from following him, and would not have regard in any of his ways,

²⁸ so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted.

²⁹ When he gives quietness, who then can condemn? And when he hides his face, who then can behold him? It is the same whether to a nation, or to a man,

³⁰ that the profane man not reign, that there be none to ensnare the people.

³¹ For has any said to God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more.

³² Teach thou me that which I do not see. If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?

³³ Shall his recompense be as thou desire, that thou refuse it? For thou must choose, and not I. Therefore speak what thou know.

³⁴ Men of understanding will say to me, yes, every wise man who hears me,

³⁵ Job speaks without knowledge, and his words are without wisdom.

³⁶ But surely not. Learn thou Job not to still give an answer like the foolish,

³⁷ so that we may not add to our sins, and lawlessness will be reckoned against us, speaking many words before the Lord.