34
1 Furthermore Elihu answered and said,
2 Hear my words, O ye chachamim;
and give ear unto me, ye that have da'as.
3 For the ozen trieth words,
as the mouth tasteth food.
4 Let us choose for ourselves what is mishpat (right);
let us know among ourselves what is tov.
5 For Iyov hath said, I am innocent;
and El hath taken away my mishpat (right).
6 I declare the mishpat (case) against me a lie;
though without peysha, my arrow wound is incurable.
7 What gever is like Iyov,
who drinketh up the scorn [of his friends] like mayim?
8 Who goeth in chaverah with the po'alei aven (workers of iniquity, evildoers),
and walketh with anshei resha.
9 For he hath said,
It profiteth a gever nothing that he should please Elohim.
10 Therefore pay heed unto me ye anashei levav (men of understanding);
far be it from El, that He should do evil,
and from Shaddai, that He should do wrong.
11 For the po'al adam (work of a man) shall He repay unto him,
and make every man to find according to the manʼs ways.
12 Yea, surely El will not do wickedly,
neither will Shaddai pervert mishpat (justice).
13 Who hath given Him right to rule the earth?
Or who hath appointed Him over the tevel?
14 If He should so determine,
if He gather unto Himself His Ruach and His Neshamah,
15 All basar would perish together,
and adam would return unto aphar.
16 If now thou hast binah, hear this:
pay heed to the kol (voice) of my words.
17 Shall even one that hateth mishpat (right) govern?
And wilt thou condemn Him that is Tzaddik and Kabir (the Mighty One)?
18 Is it fit to say to a melech, Thou art beli'ya'al?
And to nobles, Ye are rasha.
19 Who shows no partiality to sarim (princes),
nor regardeth the rich more than the poor?
For they all are the ma'aseh (work) of His hands.
20 In a moment shall they die,
and at chatzot lailah the people shall be shaken, and pass away,
and the mighty shall be taken away without human hand.
21 For His eyes are upon the darkhei ish
and He seeth all his goings.
22 There is no choshech, nor tzalmavet,
where the po'alei aven (evildoers) may hide themselves.
23 For He does not need to consider an ish further
for anyone to go before El in mishpat (judgment).
24 He shall break in pieces kabirim (mighty men) without investigation,
and sets acherim (others) in their place.
25 Therefore He knoweth their works,
and He overthroweth them in the lailah,
so that they are crushed.
26 He striketh them as resha'im
in the open sight of others;
27 Because they turned back from following Him,
and would not regard any of His drakhim;
28 So that they caused the cry of the poor to come unto Him,
and He heareth the cry of the aniyim.
29 When He giveth quietness, who then can condemn?
When He hideth His panim, who then can behold Him?
Whether it be a nation, or an individual only?
30 That the chanef (hypocrite) reign not,
nor those who ensnare the people.
31 For has anyone said unto El,
I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more;
32 Teach Thou me what I see not;
im (if) I have done iniquity, I will do no more?
33 Will He then recompense to suit you, just because you disavow it?
Thou must choose, not I;
therefore speak that of which thou hast da'as.
34 Let anshei levav (men of understanding) say to me,
and let a gever chacham who pays heed unto me say,
35 Iyov hath spoken without da'as,
and his words were without seichel.
36 Iyov ought to be tried unto the limit,
because his answers are those of anshei aven.
37 For he addeth peysha unto his chattat,
he clappeth his hands (shaking fist at G-d) among us,
and multiplieth his words against El.