1Then Elihu answered and said:2“Hear my words, you wise men, and give ear to me, you who know;3for the ear tests words as the palate tastes food. (Job 12:11)4Let us choose what is right; let us know among ourselves what is good. (1Th 5:21)5For Job has said, ‘I am in the right, and God has taken away my right; (Job 27:2; Job 33:9)6in spite of my right I am counted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’ (Job 33:9)7What man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing like water, (Job 15:16)8who travels in company with evildoers and walks with wicked men? (Ps 1:1)9For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing that he should take delight in God.’ (Job 9:22; Job 9:30; Job 21:7; Job 21:15; Job 24:1; Job 35:3; Mal 3:14)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. (Ge 18:25; De 32:4; 2Ch 19:7; Job 36:23; Ps 92:15; Ro 9:14)11For according to the work of a man he will repay him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him. (Ps 62:12; Pr 24:12; Jer 17:10; Jer 32:19; Eze 33:20; Mt 16:27; Ro 2:6; 2Co 5:10; 1Pe 1:17; Re 22:12)12Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice. (Job 8:3)13Who gave him charge over the earth, and who laid on him[1] the whole world? (Job 38:4)14If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath, (Job 2:3; Job 32:8; Ps 104:29; Ps 146:4)15all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust. (Job 10:9)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, (Ge 18:25)18who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’ and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’ (Ex 22:28)19who shows no partiality to princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands? (De 10:17; 2Ch 19:7; Job 31:15; Ac 10:34; Ro 2:11; Ga 2:6; Eph 6:9; Col 3:25; Jas 2:5; 1Pe 1:17)20In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand. (Ex 11:4; Job 21:13; Job 27:20; Job 36:20; La 4:6; Da 8:25)21“For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps. (Job 14:16; Job 31:4)22There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves. (Job 3:5; Ps 139:12; Am 9:2; Heb 4:13)23For God[2] has no need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment. (Job 14:3)24He shatters the mighty without investigation and sets others in their place. (Job 8:19; Ps 2:9)25Thus, knowing their works, he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed. (Pr 12:7)26He strikes them for their wickedness in a place for all to see,27because they turned aside from following him and had no regard for any of his ways, (1Sa 15:11; Ps 28:5; Isa 5:12)28so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted— (Ge 18:20; Ex 3:7; Ex 22:23; Job 35:9; Isa 32:17; Jas 5:4)29When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or a man?—30that a godless man should not reign, that he should not ensnare the people.31“For has anyone said to God, ‘I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more;32teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’? (Job 35:11; Job 36:22; Ps 19:12; Ps 86:11)33Will he then make repayment to suit you, because you reject it? For you must choose, and not I; therefore declare what you know.[3] (Job 33:32)34Men of understanding will say to me, and the wise man who hears me will say:35‘Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without insight.’ (Job 35:16)36Would that Job were tried to the end, because he answers like wicked men.37For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.” (Job 27:23)