| Berean Study Bible | New Living Translation |
| 1Then Elihu continued: | 1Then Elihu said: |
| 2“Hear my words, O wise men; give ear to me, O men of learning. | 2“Listen to me, you wise men. Pay attention, you who have knowledge. |
| 3For the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food. | 3Job said, ‘The ear tests the words it hears just as the mouth distinguishes between foods.’ |
| 4Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good. | 4So let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good. |
| 5For Job has declared, ‘I am righteous, yet God has deprived me of justice. | 5For Job also said, ‘I am innocent, but God has taken away my rights. |
| 6Would I lie about my case? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’ | 6I am innocent, but they call me a liar. My suffering is incurable, though I have not sinned.’ |
| 7What man is like Job, who drinks up derision like water? | 7“Tell me, has there ever been a man like Job, with his thirst for irreverent talk? |
| 8He keeps company with evildoers and walks with wicked men. | 8He chooses evil people as companions. He spends his time with wicked men. |
| 9For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should delight in God.’ | 9He has even said, ‘Why waste time trying to please God?’ |
| 10Therefore listen to me, O men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wrong, and from the Almighty to act unjustly. | 10“Listen to me, you who have understanding. Everyone knows that God doesn’t sin! The Almighty can do no wrong. |
| 11For according to a man’s deeds He repays him; according to a man’s ways He brings consequences. | 11He repays people according to their deeds. He treats people as they deserve. |
| 12Indeed, it is true that God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice. | 12Truly, God will not do wrong. The Almighty will not twist justice. |
| 13Who gave Him charge over the earth? Who appointed Him over the whole world? | 13Did someone else put the world in his care? Who set the whole world in place? |
| 14If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath, | 14If God were to take back his spirit and withdraw his breath, |
| 15all flesh would perish together and mankind would return to the dust. | 15all life would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust. |
| 16If you have understanding, hear this; listen to my words. | 16“Now listen to me if you are wise. Pay attention to what I say. |
| 17Could one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One, | 17Could God govern if he hated justice? Are you going to condemn the almighty judge? |
| 18who says to kings, ‘You are worthless!’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’ | 18For he says to kings, ‘You are wicked,’ and to nobles, ‘You are unjust.’ |
| 19who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands. | 19He doesn’t care how great a person may be, and he pays no more attention to the rich than to the poor. He made them all. |
| 20They die in an instant, in the middle of the night. The people convulse and pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand. | 20In a moment they die. In the middle of the night they pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand. |
| 21For His eyes are on the ways of a man, and He sees his every step. | 21“For God watches how people live; he sees everything they do. |
| 22There is no darkness or deep shadow where the workers of iniquity can hide. | 22No darkness is thick enough to hide the wicked from his eyes. |
| 23For God need not examine a man further or have him approach for judgment. | 23We don’t set the time when we will come before God in judgment. |
| 24He shatters the mighty without inquiry and sets up others in their place. | 24He brings the mighty to ruin without asking anyone, and he sets up others in their place. |
| 25Therefore, He recognizes their deeds; He overthrows them in the night and they are crushed. | 25He knows what they do, and in the night he overturns and destroys them. |
| 26He strikes them for their wickedness in full view, | 26He strikes them down because they are wicked, doing it openly for all to see. |
| 27because they turned aside from Him and had no regard for any of His ways. | 27For they turned away from following him. They have no respect for any of his ways. |
| 28They caused the cry of the poor to come before Him, and He heard the outcry of the afflicted. | 28They cause the poor to cry out, catching God’s attention. He hears the cries of the needy. |
| 29But when He remains silent, who can condemn Him? When He hides His face, who can see Him? Yet He watches over both man and nation, | 29But if he chooses to remain quiet, who can criticize him? When he hides his face, no one can find him, whether an individual or a nation. |
| 30that godless men should not rule or lay snares for the people. | 30He prevents the godless from ruling so they cannot be a snare to the people. |
| 31Suppose someone says to God, ‘I have endured my punishment; I will offend no more. | 31“Why don’t people say to God, ‘I have sinned, but I will sin no more’? |
| 32Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do it again.’ | 32Or ‘I don’t know what evil I have done—tell me. If I have done wrong, I will stop at once’? |
| 33Should God repay you on your own terms when you have disavowed His? You must choose, not I; so tell me what you know. | 33“Must God tailor his justice to your demands? But you have rejected him! The choice is yours, not mine. Go ahead, share your wisdom with us. |
| 34Men of understanding will declare to me, and the wise men who hear me will say: | 34After all, bright people will tell me, and wise people will hear me say, |
| 35‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’ | 35‘Job speaks out of ignorance; his words lack insight.’ |
| 36If only Job were tried to the utmost for answering like a wicked man. | 36Job, you deserve the maximum penalty for the wicked way you have talked. |
| 37For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.” | 37For you have added rebellion to your sin; you show no respect, and you speak many angry words against God.” |
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