He that should have been lost, gave me a good word, and the widow's heart praised me.

By me the great teeth of the evil-doer were broken, and I made him give up what he had violently taken away.

I choose their way, and sit head, And I dwell as a king in a troop, When mourners he doth comfort.

“Indeed, how could the strength of their hands profit me?
Vigor had perished from them.

Because he hath loosed my cord, and afflicted me, they have also let loose the bridle before me.

The lines of his men of war put themselves in order, and make high their ways of destruction against me:

They have broken down my path, By my calamity they profit, 'He hath no helper.'

He hath turned against me terrors, It pursueth as the wind mine abundance, And as a thick cloud, Hath my safety passed away.

He seizes my clothing with {great power}; he grasps me by my tunic's collar.

He hath cast me into the mire, and I am become like dust and ashes.

In times past thou didst set me up on high, as it were above the wind, but now hast thou given me a very sore fall.

Howbeit he will not stretch out his hand to the grave, though they cry in his destruction.

I made a covenant with mine eyes; How then should I look upon a virgin?

For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

As for the ungodly and he that joineth himself to the company of wicked doers: shall not destruction and misery come upon him?

Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?

He doth weigh me in righteous balances, And God doth know my integrity.

What then shall I do when God riseth up? and when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?

Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?

(For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother's womb;)

If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

That would have been another sin to be rewarded with punishment by the judges; for I would have been false to God on high.

“No, I have not allowed my mouth to sin
By cursing my enemy and asking for his life.

“I assure you, the men of my tent have said,
‘Who can find one [in need] who has not been satisfied with his meat’?

If only God would give ear to me, and the Ruler of all would give me an answer! or if what he has against me had been put in writing!

So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.

Then was kindled the wrath of Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the kindred of Ram: against Job was his wrath kindled, because he justified himself rather than God.

and {he became angry} at his three friends because they had not found an answer, and they had declared Job guilty.

Now Elihu had waited till Job had spoken, because they were elder than he.

And when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouths of these three men, he burned with anger.

So that he gave answer himself, and said, "Considering that I am young, and ye be men of age, I was afraid, and durst not show forth my mind,

It is not only the old who are wise
or the elderly who understand how to judge.

Now he hath not directed his words against me: neither will I answer him with your speeches.

For I know not how to flatter; my Maker would soon take me away.

Behold, he findeth occasions against me, he counteth me for his enemy,

He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.

Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters.

For once doth God speak, and twice, (He doth not behold it.)

Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,

That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.

He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain:

so that he detests bread,
and his soul despises his favorite food.

His flesh is consumed from being seen, And high are his bones, they were not seen!

And {he} draws near to the pit and his life to the killers.

“If there is an angel as a mediator for him,
One out of a thousand,
To explain to a man what is right for him [that is, how to be in right standing with God],

Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.

His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth:

He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.

He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;

He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

To bring back his soul from the pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of the living.

What man is like Job? he drinketh up scorning like water,

And he hath travelled for company With workers of iniquity, So as to go with men of wickedness.

For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.

Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.

For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways.

Who ruleth the earth in his stead? Or whom hath he set to govern the whole world?

If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;

Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?

He who says to a king, You are an evil-doer; and to rulers, You are sinners;

How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands.

For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.

For he will not lay upon man more than right; that he should enter into judgment with God.

He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.

Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.

He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;

So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.

When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:

From the wickedness and sin of the people, he maketh a hypocrite to reign over them.

For hath he said unto God, I bear chastisement, I will not offend;

Teach me what I do not see [in regard to how I have sinned];
If I have done wrong (injustice, unrighteousness),
I will not do it again’?

Should it be according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I: therefore speak what thou knowest.

Job -- not with knowledge doth he speak, And his words are not with wisdom.

‘Job ought to be tried to the limit
Because he answers like wicked men!

For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.

“For you say, ‘What advantage have you [by living a righteous life]?
What profit will I have, more [by being righteous] than if I had sinned?’

Look at the heavens and see;
gaze at the clouds high above you.

“If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against Him?
And if your transgressions are multiplied, what have you done to Him?

If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?

He never asks, "Where is God, my Creator, who gives me songs in the night,

Teaching us more than the beasts of the earth, Yea, than the fowl of the heavens He maketh us wiser.'

There they cry, and he answereth not, because of the pride of evil men.

But if a man call upon God, doth not he hear him? Doth not the Almighty accept his cry?

How much less when thou sayest thou beholdest him not, The cause is before him, and thou waitest for him!

But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:

Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.

For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.

Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.

He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.

He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.

Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.

He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.

If they give ear to his voice, and do his word, then he gives them long life, and years full of pleasure.

But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.

He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.

Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.

Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.

Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.

Lo, God is exalted in his power: who teacheth as he?