82 lines
3.2 KiB
Markdown
82 lines
3.2 KiB
Markdown
# Chapter 34
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1 Then Elihu said:
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2 “Listen to me, you wise men.
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Pay attention, you who have knowledge.
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3 Job said, ‘The ear tests the words it hears
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just as the mouth distinguishes between foods.’
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4 So let us discern for ourselves what is right;
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let us learn together what is good.
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5 For Job also said, ‘I am innocent,
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but God has taken away my rights.
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6 I am innocent, but they call me a liar.
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My suffering is incurable, though I have not sinned.’
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7 “Tell me, has there ever been a man like Job,
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with his thirst for irreverent talk?
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8 He chooses evil people as companions.
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He spends his time with wicked men.
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9 He has even said, ‘Why waste time
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trying to please God?’
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10 “Listen to me, you who have understanding.
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Everyone knows that God doesn’t sin!
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The Almighty can do no wrong.
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11 He repays people according to their deeds.
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He treats people as they deserve.
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12 Truly, God will not do wrong.
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The Almighty will not twist justice.
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13 Did someone else put the world in his care?
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Who set the whole world in place?
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14 If God were to take back his spirit
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and withdraw his breath,
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15 all life would cease,
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and humanity would turn again to dust.
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16 “Now listen to me if you are wise.
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Pay attention to what I say.
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17 Could God govern if he hated justice?
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Are you going to condemn the almighty judge?
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18 For he says to kings, ‘You are wicked,’
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and to nobles, ‘You are unjust.’
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19 He doesn’t care how great a person may be,
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and he pays no more attention to the rich than to the poor.
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He made them all.
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20 In a moment they die.
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In the middle of the night they pass away;
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the mighty are removed without human hand.
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21 “For God watches how people live;
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he sees everything they do.
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22 No darkness is thick enough
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to hide the wicked from his eyes.
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23 We don’t set the time
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when we will come before God in judgment.
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24 He brings the mighty to ruin without asking anyone,
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and he sets up others in their place.
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25 He knows what they do,
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and in the night he overturns and destroys them.
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26 He strikes them down because they are wicked,
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doing it openly for all to see.
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27 For they turned away from following him.
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They have no respect for any of his ways.
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28 They cause the poor to cry out, catching God’s attention.
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He hears the cries of the needy.
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29 But if he chooses to remain quiet,
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who can criticize him?
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When he hides his face, no one can find him,
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whether an individual or a nation.
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30 He prevents the godless from ruling
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so they cannot be a snare to the people.
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31 “Why don’t people say to God, ‘I have sinned,
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but I will sin no more’?
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32 Or ‘I don’t know what evil I have done—tell me.
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If I have done wrong, I will stop at once’?
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33 “Must God tailor his justice to your demands?
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But you have rejected him!
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The choice is yours, not mine.
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Go ahead, share your wisdom with us.
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34 After all, bright people will tell me,
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and wise people will hear me say,
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35 ‘Job speaks out of ignorance;
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his words lack insight.’
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36 Job, you deserve the maximum penalty
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for the wicked way you have talked.
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37 For you have added rebellion to your sin;
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you show no respect,
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and you speak many angry words against God.” |