Job 34 Parallel Bible Translations

Job 34 ▼
swipe to see more →
NLT
New Living Translation
ESV
English Standard Version
NIV
New International Version
+Add
1 Then Elihu said: Then Elihu answered and said: Then Elihu said:
2 “Listen to me, you wise men. Pay attention, you who have knowledge. “Hear my words, you wise men, and give ear to me, you who know; “Hear my words, you wise men; listen to me, you men of learning.
3 Job said, ‘The ear tests the words it hears just as the mouth distinguishes between foods.’ for the ear tests words as the palate tastes food. For the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food.
4 So let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good. Let us choose what is right; let us know among ourselves what is good. Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.
5 For Job also said, ‘I am innocent, but God has taken away my rights. For Job has said, ‘I am in the right, and God has taken away my right; “Job says, ‘I am innocent, but God denies me justice.
6 I am innocent, but they call me a liar. My suffering is incurable, though I have not sinned.’ in spite of my right I am counted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’ Although I am right, I am considered a liar; although I am guiltless, his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’
7 “Tell me, has there ever been a man like Job, with his thirst for irreverent talk? What man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing like water, Is there anyone like Job, who drinks scorn like water?
8 He chooses evil people as companions. He spends his time with wicked men. who travels in company with evildoers and walks with wicked men? He keeps company with evildoers; he associates with the wicked.
9 He has even said, ‘Why waste time trying to please God?’ For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should take delight in God.’ For he says, ‘There is no profit in trying to please God.’
10 “Listen to me, you who have understanding. Everyone knows that God doesn’t sin! The Almighty can do no wrong. “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. “So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do evil, from the Almighty to do wrong.
11 He repays people according to their deeds. He treats people as they deserve. For according to the work of a man he will repay him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him. He repays everyone for what they have done; he brings on them what their conduct deserves.
12 Truly, God will not do wrong. The Almighty will not twist justice. Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice. It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice.
13 Did someone else put the world in his care? Who set the whole world in place? Who gave him charge over the earth, and who laid on him the whole world? Who appointed him over the earth? Who put him in charge of the whole world?
14 If God were to take back his spirit and withdraw his breath, If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath, If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath,
15 all life would cease, and humanity would turn again to dust. all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust. all humanity would perish together and mankind would return to the dust.
16 “Now listen to me if you are wise. Pay attention to what I say. “If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say. “If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say.
17 Could God govern if he hated justice? Are you going to condemn the almighty judge? Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty, Can someone who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One?
18 For he says to kings, ‘You are wicked,’ and to nobles, ‘You are unjust.’ who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’ and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’ Is he not the One who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’
19 He 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. who shows no partiality to princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands? who shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?
20 In a moment they die. In the middle of the night they pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand. In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand. They 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 God watches how people live; he sees everything they do. “For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps. “His eyes are on the ways of mortals; he sees their every step.
22 No darkness is thick enough to hide the wicked from his eyes. There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves. There is no deep shadow, no utter darkness, where evildoers can hide.
23 We don’t set the time when we will come before God in judgment. For God has no need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment. God has no need to examine people further, that they should come before him for judgment.
24 He brings the mighty to ruin without asking anyone, and he sets up others in their place. He shatters the mighty without investigation and sets others in their place. Without inquiry he shatters the mighty and sets up others in their place.
25 He knows what they do, and in the night he overturns and destroys them. Thus, knowing their works, he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed. Because he takes note of their deeds, he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.
26 He strikes them down because they are wicked, doing it openly for all to see. He strikes them for their wickedness in a place for all to see, He punishes them for their wickedness where everyone can see them,
27 For they turned away from following him. They have no respect for any of his ways. because they turned aside from following him and had no regard for any of his ways, because they turned from following him and had no regard for any of his ways.
28 They cause the poor to cry out, catching God’s attention. He hears the cries of the needy. so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted— They caused the cry of the poor to come before him, so that he heard the cry of the needy.
29 But 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. When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or a man?— But 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,
30 He prevents the godless from ruling so they cannot be a snare to the people. that a godless man should not reign, that he should not ensnare the people. to keep the godless from ruling, from laying snares for the people.
31 “Why don’t people say to God, ‘I have sinned, but I will sin no more’? “For has anyone said to God, ‘I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more; “Suppose someone says to God, ‘I am guilty but will offend no more.
32 Or ‘I don’t know what evil I have done—tell me. If I have done wrong, I will stop at once’? teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’? Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’
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. Will he then make repayment to suit you, because you reject it? For you must choose, and not I; therefore declare what you know. Should God then reward you on your terms, when you refuse to repent? You must decide, not I; so tell me what you know.
34 After all, bright people will tell me, and wise people will hear me say, Men of understanding will say to me, and the wise man who hears me will say: “Men of understanding declare, wise men who hear me say to me,
35 ‘Job speaks out of ignorance; his words lack insight.’ ‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without insight.’ Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.’
36 Job, you deserve the maximum penalty for the wicked way you have talked. Would that Job were tried to the end, because he answers like wicked men. Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost for answering like a wicked man!
37 For you have added rebellion to your sin; you show no respect, and you speak many angry words against God.” For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.” To his sin he adds rebellion; scornfully he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.”
Previous chapter
Top of Page
Top of Page