| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1Then Elihu answered and said: | 1Then Elihu said: |
| 2“Hear my words, you wise men, and give ear to me, you who know; | 2"Hear my words, you wise men; listen to me, you men of learning. |
| 3for the ear tests words as the palate tastes food. | 3For the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food. |
| 4Let us choose what is right; let us know among ourselves what is good. | 4Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good. |
| 5For Job has said, ‘I am in the right, and God has taken away my right; | 5"Job says, 'I am innocent, but God denies me justice. |
| 6in spite of my right I am counted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’ | 6Although I am right, I am considered a liar; although I am guiltless, his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.' |
| 7What man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing like water, | 7Is there anyone like Job, who drinks scorn like water? |
| 8who travels in company with evildoers and walks with wicked men? | 8He keeps company with evildoers; he associates with the wicked. |
| 9For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should take delight in God.’ | 9For he says, 'There is no profit in trying to please God.' |
| 10“Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong. | 10"So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do evil, from the Almighty to do wrong. |
| 11For according to the work of a man he will repay him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him. | 11He repays everyone for what they have done; he brings on them what their conduct deserves. |
| 12Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice. | 12It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice. |
| 13Who gave him charge over the earth, and who laid on him the whole world? | 13Who appointed him over the earth? Who put him in charge of the whole world? |
| 14If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath, | 14If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath, |
| 15all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust. | 15all humanity would perish together and mankind would return to the dust. |
| 16“If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say. | 16"If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say. |
| 17Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty, | 17Can someone who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One? |
| 18who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’ and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’ | 18Is he not the One who says to kings, 'You are worthless,' and to nobles, 'You are wicked,' |
| 19who shows no partiality to princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands? | 19who shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands? |
| 20In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand. | 20They die in an instant, in the middle of the night; the people are shaken and they pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand. |
| 21“For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps. | 21"His eyes are on the ways of mortals; he sees their every step. |
| 22There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves. | 22There is no deep shadow, no utter darkness, where evildoers can hide. |
| 23For God has no need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment. | 23God has no need to examine people further, that they should come before him for judgment. |
| 24He shatters the mighty without investigation and sets others in their place. | 24Without inquiry he shatters the mighty and sets up others in their place. |
| 25Thus, knowing their works, he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed. | 25Because he takes note of their deeds, he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed. |
| 26He strikes them for their wickedness in a place for all to see, | 26He punishes them for their wickedness where everyone can see them, |
| 27because they turned aside from following him and had no regard for any of his ways, | 27because they turned from following him and had no regard for any of his ways. |
| 28so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted— | 28They caused the cry of the poor to come before him, so that he heard the cry of the needy. |
| 29When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or a man?— | 29But if he remains silent, who can condemn him? If he hides his face, who can see him? Yet he is over individual and nation alike, |
| 30that a godless man should not reign, that he should not ensnare the people. | 30to keep the godless from ruling, from laying snares for the people. |
| 31“For has anyone said to God, ‘I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more; | 31"Suppose someone says to God, 'I am guilty but will offend no more. |
| 32teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’? | 32Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.' |
| 33Will he then make repayment to suit you, because you reject it? For you must choose, and not I; therefore declare what you know. | 33Should God then reward you on your terms, when you refuse to repent? You must decide, not I; so tell me what you know. |
| 34Men of understanding will say to me, and the wise man who hears me will say: | 34"Men of understanding declare, wise men who hear me say to me, |
| 35‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without insight.’ | 35Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.' |
| 36Would that Job were tried to the end, because he answers like wicked men. | 36Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost for answering like a wicked man! |
| 37For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.” | 37To his sin he adds rebellion; scornfully he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God." |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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