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- Then Elihu continued and said,
- "Hear my words, you wise men, And listen to me, you who know.
- "For the ear tests words As the palate tastes food.
- "Let us choose for ourselves what is right; Let us know among ourselves what is good.
- "For Job has said, 'I am righteous, But God has taken away my right;
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- Then Elihu said:
- "Hear my words, you wise men; listen to me, you men of learning.
- For the ear tests words as the tongue tastes food.
- Let us discern for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.
- "Job says, 'I am innocent, but God denies me justice.
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- Should I lie concerning my right? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.'
- "What man is like Job, Who drinks up derision like water,
- Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity, And walks with wicked men?
- "For he has said, 'It profits a man nothing When he is pleased with God.'
- "Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do wickedness, And from the Almighty to do wrong.
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- Although I am right, I am considered a liar; although I am guiltless, his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.'
- What man is like Job, who drinks scorn like water?
- He keeps company with evildoers; he associates with wicked men.
- For he says, 'It profits a man nothing when he tries to please God.'
- "So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do evil, from the Almighty to do wrong.
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- "For He pays a man according to his work, And makes him find it according to his way.
- "Surely, God will not act wickedly, And the Almighty will not pervert justice.
- "Who gave Him authority over the earth? And who has laid on Him the whole world?
- "If He should determine to do so, If He should gather to Himself His spirit and His breath,
- All flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust.
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- He repays a man for what he has done; he brings upon him what his conduct deserves.
- It is unthinkable that God would do wrong, that the Almighty would pervert justice.
- Who appointed him over the earth? Who put him in charge of the whole world?
- If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath,
- all mankind would perish together and man would return to the dust.
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- "But if you have understanding, hear this; Listen to the sound of my words.
- "Shall one who hates justice rule? And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,
- Who says to a king, 'Worthless one,' To nobles, 'Wicked ones';
- Who shows no partiality to princes Nor regards the rich above the poor, For they all are the work of His hands?
- "In a moment they die, and at midnight People are shaken and pass away, And the mighty are taken away without a hand.
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- "If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say.
- Can he who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One?
- Is he not the One who says to kings, 'You are worthless,' and to nobles, 'You are wicked,'
- who shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?
- 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.
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- "For His eyes are upon the ways of a man, And He sees all his steps.
- "There is no darkness or deep shadow Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
- "For He does not need to consider a man further, That he should go before God in judgment.
- "He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry, And sets others in their place.
- "Therefore He knows their works, And He overthrows them in the night, And they are crushed.
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- "His eyes are on the ways of men; he sees their every step.
- There is no dark place, no deep shadow, where evildoers can hide.
- God has no need to examine men further, that they should come before him for judgment.
- Without inquiry he shatters the mighty and sets up others in their place.
- Because he takes note of their deeds, he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.
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- "He strikes them like the wicked In a public place,
- Because they turned aside from following Him, And had no regard for any of His ways;
- So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him, And that He might hear the cry of the afflicted--
- When He keeps quiet, who then can condemn? And when He hides His face, who then can behold Him, That is, in regard to both nation and man?--
- So that godless men would not rule Nor be snares of the people.
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- He punishes them for their wickedness where everyone can see them,
- because they turned from following him and had no regard for any of his ways.
- They caused the cry of the poor to come before him, so that he heard the cry of the needy.
- But if he remains silent, who can condemn him? If he hides his face, who can see him? Yet he is over man and nation alike,
- to keep a godless man from ruling, from laying snares for the people.
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- "For has anyone said to God, 'I have borne chastisement; I will not offend anymore;
- Teach me what I do not see; If I have done iniquity, I will not do it again'?
- "Shall He recompense on your terms, because you have rejected it? For you must choose, and not I; Therefore declare what you know.
- "Men of understanding will say to me, And a wise man who hears me,
- 'Job speaks without knowledge, And his words are without wisdom.
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- "Suppose a man says to God, 'I am guilty but will offend no more.
- Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.'
- Should God then reward you on your terms, when you refuse to repent? You must decide, not I; so tell me what you know.
- "Men of understanding declare, wise men who hear me say to me,
- 'Job speaks without knowledge; his words lack insight.'
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- 'Job ought to be tried to the limit, Because he answers like wicked men.
- 'For he adds rebellion to his sin; He claps his hands among us, And multiplies his words against God.'"
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- Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost for answering like a wicked man!
- To his sin he adds rebellion; scornfully he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God."
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