And they say to God, 'Turn away from us, for we do not desire to know your ways.

'God stores up his iniquity for his children'? [Then] let him repay [it] to him that he may know.

for what {does he care for} his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off?

Can anyone teach knowledge to God, since he himself judges high ones?

"Can a man be of use to God? Yes, can [the] wise be of use to him?

"[Is] not God [in the] height of [the] heavens? But see how lofty are {the highest stars}.

And you ask, 'What does God know? Can he judge through deep gloom?

[Those] who said to God, 'Turn away from us,' and 'What can Shaddai do to us?'

Yet he himself filled up their houses [with] good [things], but [the] schemes of [the] wicked are repugnant to me.

"Please reconcile yourself with him, and be at peace; {in this way}, good will come to you.

Indeed, then you will delight yourself in Shaddai, and {you will expect that God will be good to you}.

Indeed, God has made my heart faint, and Shaddai has terrified me.

From [the] city people groan, and [the] throat of [the] wounded cries for help; yet God does not {regard it as unseemly}.

[He] feeds on [the] barren, [who] does not have a child, and does no good to [the] widow.

They are exalted a little while, then {they are gone}. And they are brought low; they are cut off like all [others], and like [the] heads of grain they wither away.

"Indeed, how can a human being be righteous before God? And how will he who is born of a woman be pure?

"{As God lives}, he has removed my justice, and Shaddai has made my inner self bitter.

For {as long as} my breath [is] in me, and the spirit of God [is] in my nose,

for what [is the] hope of [the] godless when he cuts [them] off, when God takes away his life?

Will God hear his cry of distress when distress comes upon him?

Or, in Shaddai will he find delight? Will he call upon God at all times?

"I will teach you about God's hand; I will not conceal that [which is] with Shaddai.

"This [is the] portion of [the] wicked human being with God, and they receive from Shaddai [the] inheritance of [the] ruthless.

"[It is] a path a bird of prey does not know and [the] black kite's eye has not seen.

"God understands its way, and he knows its place,

"{O that I were} as [in] the months before, as [in] the days [when] God watched over me,

as when I was in the days of my prime, when God's confiding [was] over my {house},

"At my going out [the] gate to [the] city, I secured my seat in the square.

Indeed, I hoped for good, but evil came, and I waited for light, but darkness came.

And what [is] the portion of God from above or the heritage of Shaddai from on high?

let him weigh me in [the] balance of justice, and let God know my blamelessness.

then what shall I do when God rises up? And when he enquires, how shall I answer him?

if I have raised my hand against an orphan because I saw my supporters at the gate,

Indeed, the disaster from God [was] a dread for me, and {I was powerless} because of his majesty.

this also [is] an iniquity [to be] judged, for I have deceived God above.

because I dreaded [the] great multitude, and [the] contempt of clans terrified me, so that I kept quiet, I did not go out of [the] doorway?

So Elihu the son of Barakel the Buzite, from the clan of Ram, {became angry}. {He became angry} at Job because he justified himself rather than God,

So do not say, 'We have found wisdom; let God refute him, not a man.'

The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of Shaddai gives life to me.

Look, before God {I am like you}; I myself was also formed from clay.

"Look, [in] this you are not right--I will answer you: Indeed, God is greater than a human being.

Indeed, God speaks in one [way], even in two, [yet] [someone] does not perceive it.

He prays to God, then he accepts him, and he sees his face with a shout of joy, and he repays to the human being his righteousness.

Look, God does all these [things] twice, three times with a person

Let us choose justice for ourselves; let us determine among ourselves what [is] good--

for Job has said, 'I am righteous, but God has taken away my justice.

Indeed, he says, 'A man does not profit when he takes delight in God.'

"Therefore, listen to me, {people who have sense}: far be it from God {that he should commit wickedness} and that Shaddai {should do wrong}.

What's more, God truly does not act wickedly, and Shaddai does not pervert justice.

Indeed, he has not yet appointed [a time] for man to go to God in the judgment.

but he remains quiet, and who can condemn? And he hides [his] face, and who can behold him? Yet [he is] over a nation and over a person alike,

"Indeed, does anyone say to God, 'I have endured [chastisement]; I will not act corruptly [again];

for he adds transgression to his sin; he claps hands among us, and he multiplies his words against God.'"

"Do you think this [is] justice when you say, '{I am right} before God'?

But no one says, 'Where [is] God my Maker, [who] gives songs in the night,

"Surely God does not hear an empty plea, and Shaddai does not regard it.

"Bear with me a little longer, and {I will explain}, for {I still have something to say on God's behalf}.

Look, God [is] mighty but does not despise [anyone]; [he is] mighty [and] {good in understanding}.

You must not long for the night, to cut off people {in their place}.

"Look, God is exalted in his power; who [is] a teacher like him?

"Look, God [is] exalted, and we do not know [him]; the number of his years is unsearchable.

"God thunders with his voice in marvelous ways; he does great things, and we cannot comprehend.

By God's breath, ice is given, and [the] broad waters [are] frozen.

"Hear this, Job; stand [still] and consider carefully God's wondrous works.

Do you know {how God commands them} and [how] he causes his cloud's lightning to shine?

From [the] north comes gold-- awesome majesty [is] around God.

when [the] morning stars were singing together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

"Who has cut open a channel for the torrents and a way for [the] {thunder bolts},

Who prepares for the crow its prey, when its young ones cry to God for help, [and] they wander around {for lack of food}?

When they crouch, they bring forth their young ones; they get rid of their labor pains.

because God made it forget wisdom, and he did not give it a share in understanding.

"Shall a faultfinder contend with Shaddai? Anyone who argues with God must answer it."

Or do you have an arm like God, and can you thunder with a voice like his?

"It [is] the first of God's actions; the [one who] made him furnishes [it with] his sword.

"I will not keep quiet [concerning] its limbs or concerning [the] extent of its might and [the] gracefulness of its frame.

Many [are] saying about my soul, "There is no deliverance for him from God. Selah

Rise up, O Yahweh; deliver me, O my God; for you strike all my enemies [on the] cheek. [The] teeth of [the] wicked you break.

When I call, answer me, O God of my righteousness. In trouble {deliver me}. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.

Many are saying, "Who will show us [something] good?" Lift up over us the light of your face, O Yahweh.

Listen to the sound of my pleading, my king and my God, for to you I pray.

For you [are] not a God [who] desires wickedness. Evil cannot dwell with you.

Treat them as guilty, O God; let them fall because of their plans. Because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you.

For you bless [the] righteous. O Yahweh, like a shield you surround him [with] good favor.

O Yahweh, my God, in you I have taken refuge. Save me from all [who] pursue me, and deliver me.

O Yahweh, my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands,

Let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish [the] righteous, and test the hearts and innermost being, O righteous God.

My shield [is] with God who saves the upright of heart.

God [is] a righteous judge, and a God who has indignation every day.

[The] wicked shall turn back to Sheol, all [the] nations forgetting God,

{With bald-faced pride} [the] wicked will not seek [God]. There is no God in any of his thoughts.

He says in his heart, "God has forgotten. He has hidden his face. He never sees."

Rise up, O Yahweh; O God, lift up your hand. Do not forget [the] afflicted.

Why does the wicked treat God with contempt? He says in his heart, "You will not call [me] to account."

May Yahweh cut off all flattering lips, [the] tongue speaking great boasts--

Consider [and] answer me, O Yahweh my God. Give light to my eyes lest I sleep [the sleep of] death,

[The] fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt. They do abominable deeds. There is none who does good.

Yahweh looks down from heaven upon the children of humankind to see whether there is one who has insight, one who cares about God.

All have gone astray; they are altogether corrupt. There is not one who does good; there is not even one.

There {they are very fearful} because God [is] with [the] generation of [the] righteous.

Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you.