The Book of Job. The Harvard Classics. 190914. |
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| XXXIV |
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| [1] | MOREOVER Elihu answered and said, |
| [2] | Hear my words, ye wise men; And give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge. |
| [3] | For the ear trieth words, As the palate tasteth food. |
| [4] | Let us choose for us that which is right: Let us know among ourselves what is good. |
| [5] | For Job hath said, I am righteous, And God hath taken away my right: |
| [6] | Notwithstanding 1 my right I am accounted a liar; My 2 wound is incurable, though I am without transgression. |
| [7] | What man is like Job, Who drinketh up scoffing like water, |
| [8] | Who goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, And walketh with wicked men? |
| [9] | For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing That he should delight 3 himself with God. |
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| [10] | Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness, And from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity. |
| [11] | For the work of a man will he render unto him, And cause every man to find according to his ways. |
| [12] | Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly, Neither will the Almighty pervert justice. |
| [13] | Who gave him a charge over the earth? Or who hath disposed 4 the whole world? |
| [14] | If 5 he set his heart upon himself, 6 If he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; |
| [15] | All flesh shall perish together, And man shall turn again unto dust. |
| [16] | If 7 now thou hast understanding, hear this: Hearken to the voice of my words. |
| [17] | Shall even one that hateth justice govern? And wilt thou condemn him that is righteous and mighty? |
| [18] | Him 8 that saith to a king, Thou art vile, Or to nobles, Ye are wicked; |
| [19] | That respecteth not the persons of princes, Nor regardeth the rich more than the poor; For they all are the work of his hands. |
| [20] | In a moment they die, even 9 at midnight; The people are shaken and pass away, And the mighty are taken away without hand. |
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| [21] | For his eyes are upon the ways of a man, And he seeth all his goings. |
| [22] | There is no darkness, nor thick gloom, Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. |
| [23] | For he needeth not further to consider a man, That he should go before God in judgment. |
| [24] | He breaketh in pieces mighty men in 10 ways past finding out, And setteth others in their stead. |
| [25] | Therefore he taketh knowledge of their works; And he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed. 11 |
| [26] | He striketh them as wicked men In 12 the open sight of others; |
| [27] | Because they turned aside from following him, And would not have regard to any of his ways: |
| [28] | So 13 that they caused the cry of the poor to come unto him, And he heard the cry of the afflicted. |
| [29] | When he giveth quietness, who then can condemn? And when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? Alike whether it be done unto a nation, or unto a man: |
| [30] | That the godless man reign not, That there be none to ensnare the people. |
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| [31] | For hath any said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I 14 will not offend any more: |
| [32] | That which I see not teach thou me: If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more? |
| [33] | Shall his recompense be as thou wilt, that thou refusest it? For thou must choose, and not I: Therefore speak what thou knowest. |
| [34] | Men of understanding will say unto me, Yea, every wise man that heareth me: |
| [35] | Job speaketh without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom. |
| [36] | Would that Job were tried unto the end, Because of his answering like wicked men. |
| [37] | For he addeth rebellion unto his sin; He clappeth his hands among us, And multiplieth his words against God. |
| | | Note 1. Or, Should I lie against my right? [back] |
| Note 2. Heb. Mine arrow. [back] |
| Note 3. Or, consent with. See Ps. 50. 18. [back] |
| Note 4. Or, laid upon him. [back] |
| Note 5. According to another reading, If he cause his heart to return unto himself. [back] |
| Note 6. Or, man.Heb. him. [back] |
| Note 7. Or, Only understand. [back] |
| Note 8. The Heb. as pointed reads, Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art vile? Or to nobles, Ye are wicked? [back] |
| Note 9. Or, and at midnight the people &c. [back] |
| Note 10. Or, without inquisition. [back] |
| Note 11. Heb. crushed. [back] |
| Note 12. Heb. In the place of beholders. [back] |
| Note 13. Or, That they might cause
And that he might hear. [back] |
| Note 14. Or, though I offend not. [back] |
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