My foot has held on to his steps; I have kept his way, and I have not turned aside.

"Why are not times kept by Shaddai, and [why] do not [those who] know him see his days?

"Look, [like] wild donkeys in the desert they go out to their labor [as] searchers for the prey; [the] wilderness [is] {their} food for the young.

They are wet from the rainstorm of the mountains, and they cling to the rock {without} refuge.

"Those are among [the ones] rebelling [against the] light; they do not recognize his ways, and they do not stay in his paths.

He digs through houses in the darkness; by day they shut themselves in-- they do not know [the] light

because morning likewise is to them deep darkness; indeed, they know about [the] terrors of deep darkness.

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

He gives security to him, and he is supported, but his eyes [are] upon their ways.

"And if [it is] not [so], then who can prove me a liar and reduce my word to nothing?"

Is there a number to his troops? And upon whom does his light not rise?

I hold fast to my righteousness, and I will not let it go; my heart will not blame [any] of my days.

If their children multiply, [it is] for [the] sword, and his offspring {do not have enough to eat}.

Their survivors are buried through the plague, and their widows do not weep.

He goes to bed [with] wealth, but {he will do so no more}; he opens his eyes, and {it is gone}.

"Indeed, there is a mine for silver and a place {for gold to be refined}.

He puts an end to darkness, and he searches out the farthest limits [for the] ore [in] gloom and deep shadow.

He dams up rivers from [their] sources, and he brings secret things to [the] light.

for he himself looks to [the] end of the earth; he sees under all the heaven.

{When he gave} weight to the wind and he apportioned [the] waters by measure,

And to the human beings he said, 'Look, the fear of the Lord [is] wisdom, and to depart from evil [is] understanding.'"

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

[The] voices of nobles were hushed, and their tongue stuck to their palate.

[The] blessing of [the] wretched came upon me, and I caused [the] widow's heart to sing for joy.

"I was eyes to the blind, and I [was] feet to the lame.

I [was] a father to the poor, and I investigated {the stranger's} legal dispute.

My roots [were] open to water, and dew spent the night on my branches;

"They listened to me and waited, and they kept silent for my counsel.

After my word, they did not speak again, and my word dropped down [like dew] upon them.

Moreover, {what use to me is the strength of their hands}? With them, vigor is destroyed.

They are picking salt herbs, the leaves of bushes, and [the] roots of broom trees to warm themselves.

They abhor me; they keep aloof from me, and they do not withhold spit from my face

On [the] right hand the brood rises up; {they put me to flight}, and they build up their {siege ramps} against me.

{At night I am in great pain}; my pains do not take a rest.

I cry to you for help, but you do not answer me; I stand, and you [merely] look at me.

You have turned cruel to me; you persecute me with your hand's might.

You lift me up to [the] wind--you make me ride [it], and you toss me about [in] the storm.

Indeed, I know [that] you will bring me to death and [to the] house of assembly for all [the] living.

My bowels are in turmoil, and they are not still; days of misery come to confront me.

So my lyre came to be [used] for mourning, and my flute [for the] voice of [those who] weep.

"If I have walked with falseness, and my foot has hastened to deceit,

If my steps have turned aside from the way, and my heart has walked after my eyes, and my hand has clung to a spot,

Indeed, that [is] a fire that will consume up to Abaddon, and it would uproot all my crop.

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

"If I have withheld [the] desire of [the] poor from [them], or I have caused [the] widow's eyes to fail,

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

no, I have not allowed my mouth to sin, to ask his life with a curse.

An alien has not lodged in the street; I have opened my door to the traveler.

{Have I concealed} my transgressions as [other] human beings to hide my iniquity in my bosom

if I have eaten its yield without payment, or I have caused [the] breath of its owners to die,

Thus Elihu had waited for Job {to speak} because {they were older than he}.

Then Elihu the son of Barakel the Buzite {spoke up} and said, "{I am young}, but you are old; therefore I feared and became afraid of explaining my knowledge to you.

Therefore I say, 'Listen to me; let me also declare my knowledge myself.'

"Look, I waited for your words; I listened for your insight, until you searched out {what to say}.

And I directed my attention to you; and, look, there is no [one] for Job [who] refuted, answering his words among you.

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

But he did not direct [his] words to me, and I will not answer him with your words.

"They are dismayed; they no longer answer; {they have nothing to say}.

And I have waited because they do not speak, because they stand [there] [and] no longer answer.

"Look, my internal organs [are] like unopened wine, like new wineskins it is [ready] to burst open.

{Please let me not show partiality to anyone}, and let me not show flattery to human beings,

for I do not know [how] {to flatter}, [else] my Maker would {soon} put an end to me.

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

Why do you contend against him, that he will not answer all a person's words?

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

to turn human beings aside [from their] deeds, and he keeps man from pride.

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

"If there is a messenger beside him, a mediator, one of a thousand, to declare to a human being his uprightness

{so that} he is gracious [to] him, and he says, 'Deliver him from descending into [the] pit; I have found a ransom.'

His flesh is renewed with [his] youth; he returns to [the] days of his youthful strength.

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.

"He will sing to men, and he will say, 'I have sinned and have perverted [what is] right, and it was not paid back to me.

to bring his life back from [the] pit {so that he may enjoy the light of life}.

"Listen attentively, Job; listen to me; be silent, and I will speak.

If {you have anything to say}, {answer me}; speak, for I desire {to justify you}.

If not, you listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom."

"Hear my words, you wise men, and listen to me, you who know,

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

Indeed, he will repay [according to] a human being's deeds, and according to a man's way he will let [it] happen [to] him.

If he should set his heart to it, and he should gather his spirit and his breath to himself,

all flesh would perish together, and humankind would return to dust.

"But if [you have] understanding, hear this; listen to {what I say}.

the one who says to a king, 'You worthless man,' to noblemen, 'You wicked man,'

who {shows no partiality to officials} and [who] {does not take note of the noble more than of the insignificant}, for all of them [are] the work of his hands?

[In] a moment they die, and [in] the middle of [the] night [the] people are shaken, and they pass away, and they take away [the] mighty {effortlessly}.

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

so that [they] cause [the] cry of distress from [the] helpless to come to him, and he hears [the] cry of distress from [the] needy,

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

{According to your judgment}, must he repay [it] because you rejected [this]? Indeed, you must choose, and not I, so declare what you know.

{Those who have sense} say to me, and [the] wise man hearing me [says]:

Would that Job were tested up to [the] end because [his] answers [are] like [those from] men of mischief,

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'?

If you ask what it profits you: 'How do I benefit {by refraining from my sin}?'

I myself {will give answer to you} and [to] your friends with you.

If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him? And [if] your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?

If you are righteous, what do you give to him, or what does he receive from your hand?

{How much less} [when] you say [that] you do not see him, that [the] case [is] {before him}, and you are waiting for him!

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

I will bring my knowledge from far away, and I will ascribe righteousness to my maker,