CLV(i)
1 Then Elihu continued to answer and said:
2 Hear my declarations, you wise men, And you having knowledge, give ear to me.
3 For the ear tests declarations As the palate tastes food.
4 Let us choose for ourselves what is due; Let us know between us what is good.
5 For Job has said:I am just, Yet El, He has taken away my due;"
6 Concerning my due, should I lie? My lesion is mortal, yet I am without transgression.
7 What master is like Job? He drinks derision like water;
8 He travels in partnership with contrivers of lawlessness And goes about with men of wickedness.
9 For he says, It is unprofitable for a master When he strives to be acceptable to Elohim.
10 Wherefore, men of wise heart, hearken to me:Far be it from El to do wickedness, And Him Who Suffices to do iniquity.
11 For the contrivance of a human, He shall repay it to him, And according to man's path, He shall provide it to him.
12 El, truly indeed He does not do wickedness, And He Who Suffices does not distort judgment.
13 Who gave supervision to Him over the earth, And who appointed Him over the habitance, all of it?
14 If He places it in His heart concerning him, He can gather back His spirit and His breath to Himself;"
15 All flesh would expire together, And humanity would return to the soil.
16 Now if you have understanding, hear this; Give ear to the sound of my declarations.
17 Indeed, can anyone hating judgment govern? And would you condemn the Abundantly Righteous One,
18 Who says to a king, Worthless one, And to patrons, Wicked one,
19 Who does not repute chiefs, Nor is He partial to the rich-man above the poor,For they all are the work of His hands?
20 In a moment they die; At midnight the people reel and pass away, And the sturdy are taken away by no human hand.
21 For His eyes are on the ways of a man, And He sees all his steps.
22 There is no darkness and no blackest shadow To conceal there the contrivers of lawlessness.
23 For He does not set an appointed time for a man To go before El in judgment.
24 He smashes those of abundance without investigation And installs others in their stead.
25 Wherefore, He recognizes their occupations And overturns them in a night, and they are crushed.
26 He slaps them down with the wicked, In a place where all can see,
27 Because they withdrew from following Him And did not contemplate any of His ways,
28 But they caused the cry of the poor to be brought before Him, So that He heard the cry of the humble.
29 When He is quiet, who can condemn? When He conceals His face, who can regard Him? Yet He is over a nation and over humanity alike.
30 Lest a polluted human reign, One from the entrappers of the people.
31 Indeed has one said to El, I have been lured away; I shall not harm any more;"
32 Until I can perceive, direct me Yourself; If I have contrived iniquity, I shall not do so again?
33 Shall He repay it on your terms since you have rejected otherwise, Since you yourself are choosing, and not I? Now what you know, speak.
34 Men of heart shall say to me, And any wise master who is hearkening to me.
35 Job is not speaking with knowledge, And his words are not with intelligence.
36 My will is that Job should be tested unto permanence For making replies like men of lawlessness.
37 For he adds transgression to his sin; Among us he slaps his hands And increases his sayings against El.