Elihu Justifies God

341 And Elihu answereth and saith: 2 Hear, O wise men, my words, And, O knowing ones, give ear to me. 3 For the ear doth try words, And the palate tasteth to eat. 4 Judgment let us choose for ourselves, Let us know among ourselves what 'is' good. 5 For Job hath said, 'I have been righteous, And God hath turned aside my right, 6 Against my right do I lie? Mortal 'is' mine arrow—without transgression.' 7 Who 'is' a man like Job? He drinketh scoffing like water, 8 And he hath travelled for company With workers of iniquity, So as to go with men of wickedness. 9 For he hath said, 'It doth not profit a man, When he delighteth himself with God.'

10 Therefore, O men of heart, hearken to me; Far be it from God to do wickedness, And 'from' the Mighty to do perverseness: 11 For the work of man he repayeth to him, And according to the path of each He doth cause him to find. 12 Yea, truly, God doth not do wickedly, And the Mighty doth not pervert judgment. 13 Who hath inspected for Himself the earth? And who hath placed all the habitable world? 14 If He doth set on him His heart, His spirit and his breath unto Him He gathereth. 15 Expire doth all flesh together, And man to dust returneth.

16 And if 'there is' understanding, hear this, Give ear to the voice of my words. 17 Yea, doth one hating justice govern? Or the Most Just dost thou condemn? 18 Who hath said to a king—'Worthless,' Unto princes—'Wicked?' 19 That hath not accepted the person of princes, Nor hath known the rich before the poor, For a work of His hands 'are' all of them. 20 'In' a moment they die, and at midnight Shake do people, and they pass away, And they remove the mighty without hand. 21 For His eyes 'are' on the ways of each, And all his steps He doth see. 22 There is no darkness nor death-shade, For workers of iniquity to be hidden there; 23 For He doth not suffer man any more, To go unto God in judgment, 24 He breaketh the mighty—no searching! And He appointeth others in their stead. 25 Therefore He knoweth their works, And He hath overturned by night, And they are bruised. 26 As wicked He hath stricken them, In the place of beholders. 27 Because that against right They have turned aside from after Him, And none of His ways have considered wisely, 28 To cause to come in unto Him The cry of the poor, And the cry of the afflicted He heareth. 29 And He giveth rest, and who maketh wrong? And hideth the face, and who beholdeth it? And in reference to a nation and to a man, 'It is' the same. 30 From the reigning of a profane man, From the snares of a people;

31 For unto God hath any said: 'I have taken away, I do not corruptly, 32 Besides 'that which' I see, shew Thou me, If iniquity I have done—I do not add?' 33 By thee doth He recompense, That thou hast refused—That thou dost choose, and not I? And what thou hast known, speak. 34 Let men of heart say to me, And a wise man is hearkening to me. 35 Job—not with knowledge doth he speak, And his words 'are' not with wisdom. 36 My Father! let Job be tried—unto victory, Because of answers for men of iniquity, 37 For he doth add to his sin, Transgression among us he vomiteth, And multiplieth his sayings to God.

Job Bewails His Birth

31 After this hath Job opened his mouth, and revileth his day. 2 And Job answereth and saith:— 3 Let the day perish in which I am born, And the night that hath said: 'A man-child hath been conceived.' 4 That day—let it be darkness, Let not God require it from above, Nor let light shine upon it. 5 Let darkness and death-shade redeem it, Let a cloud tabernacle upon it, Let them terrify it as the most bitter of days. 6 That night—let thick darkness take it, Let it not be united to days of the year, Into the number of months let it not come. 7 Lo! that night—let it be gloomy, Let no singing come into it. 8 Let the cursers of day mark it, Who are ready to wake up Leviathan. 9 Let the stars of its twilight be dark, Let it wait for light, and there is none, And let it not look on the eyelids of the dawn. 10 Because it hath not shut the doors Of the womb that was mine! And hide misery from mine eyes.

11 Why from the womb do I not die? From the belly I have come forth and gasp! 12 Wherefore have knees been before me? And what 'are' breasts, that I suck? 13 For now, I have lain down, and am quiet, I have slept—then there is rest to me, 14 With kings and counsellors of earth, These building wastes for themselves. 15 Or with princes—they have gold, They are filling their houses 'with' silver. 16 (Or as a hidden abortion I am not, As infants—they have not seen light.) 17 There the wicked have ceased troubling, And there rest do the wearied in power. 18 Together prisoners have been at ease, They have not heard the voice of an exactor, 19 Small and great 'are' there the same. And a servant 'is' free from his lord.

20 Why giveth He to the miserable light, and life to the bitter soul? 21 Who are waiting for death, and it is not, And they seek it above hid treasures. 22 Who are glad—unto joy, They rejoice when they find a grave. 23 To a man whose way hath been hidden, And whom God doth shut up? 24 For before my food, my sighing cometh, And poured out as waters 'are' my roarings. 25 For a fear I feared and it meeteth me, And what I was afraid of doth come to me. 26 I was not safe—nor was I quiet—Nor was I at rest—and trouble cometh!