They will see Eloah's face and shout for joy as he restores their righteousness.b 27 Each one sings in front of other people and says, 'I sinned and did wrong instead of what was right, and it did me no good.

28 The messenger has freed my soul from going into the pit, and my life will see the light.'

29 Truly, El does all this two or three times with people 30 to turn their souls away from the pit and to enlighten them with the light of life.

Pay Attention, Job 31 "Pay attention, Job! Listen to me!

Keep quiet, and let me speak.

32 If you have a response, answer me.

Speak, because I'd be happy if you were right.

33 If not, you listen to me.

Keep quiet, and I'll teach you wisdom."

Elihu Continues: Listen, Everyone 341 Elihu continued to speak to Job and his friends, 2 "Listen to my words, you wise men.

Open your ears to me, you intelligent men.

3 The ear tests words like the tongue tastes food.

4 Let's decide for ourselves what is right and agree among ourselves as to what is good, 5 because Job has said, 'I'm righteous, but El has taken away my rights.

6 I'm considered a liar in spite of my rights.

I've been wounded by a deadly arrow, though I haven't been disobedient.'

7 What person is like Job, who drinks scorn like water, 8 who travels with troublemakers and associates with evil people?

9 He says, 'It doesn't do any good to try to please Elohim.'

10 "You people who have understanding, listen to me.

It is unthinkable that El would ever do evil or that Shadday would ever do wicked things.

11 God will repay humanity for what it has done and will give each person what he deserves.

12 Certainly, El will never do anything evil, and Shadday will never pervert justice.

13 Who put him in charge of the earth?

Who appointed him to be over the whole world?

14 If he thought only of himself and withdrew his Spirit and his breath, 15 all living beings would die together, and humanity would return to dust.

God Is Fair 16 "If you understand, listen to this.

Open your ears to my words!

17 Should anyone who hates justice be allowed to govern?

Will you condemn the one who is righteous and mighty?

18 Should anyone even say to a king, 'You good-for-nothing scoundrel!'

or to nobles, 'You wicked people!'

19 The one who is righteous and mighty does not grant special favors to princes or prefer important people over poor people because his hands made them all.

20 They die suddenly in the middle of the night.

People have seizures and pass away.

Mighty people are taken away but not by human hands.

21 God's eyes are on a person's ways.

He sees all his steps.

22 There's no darkness or deep shadow where troublemakers can hide.

23 He doesn't have to set a time for a person in order to bring him to divine judgment.

24 He breaks mighty people into pieces without examining them and puts others in their places.

25 He knows what they do, so he overthrows them at night, and they're crushed.

26 In return for their evil, he strikes them in public, 27 because they turned away from following him and didn't consider any of his ways.

28 They forced the poor to cry out to him, and he hears the cry of those who suffer.

29 If he keeps quiet, who can condemn him?

If he hides his face, who can see him whether it is a nation or a single person?

30 He does this so that godless people cannot rule and so that they cannot trap people.

31 "But suppose such a person says to El, 'I am guilty, I will stop my immoral behavior.

32 Teach me what I cannot see.

If I've done wrong, I won't do it again.'

33 Should El reward you on your own terms since you have rejected his?

You must choose, not I.

Tell me what you know. Speak!

Elihu Makes an Appeal to God 34 "People of understanding, the wise people who listen to me, will say, 35 'Job speaks without knowledge.

His words show no insight.'

36 "Ab , let Job be thoroughly tested for giving answers like wicked people do.

37 He adds disobedience to his sin.

He claps his hands to insult us.

He multiplies his words against El ."

Elihu Continues: I Will Answer You and Your Friends, Job 351 Elihu continued to speak to Job and his friends, 2 "Do you think this is right when you say, 'My case is more just than El's,'

3 when you ask, 'What benefit is it to you?'

and, 'What would I gain by sinning?'

4 I will answer you and your friends.

Human Behavior Cannot Change God 5 "Look at the heavens and see.

Observe the clouds high above you.

6 If you've sinned, what effect can you have on God?

If you've done many wrongs, what can you do to him?

7 If you're righteous, what can you give him, or what can he get from you?

8 Your wickedness affects only someone like yourself.

Your righteousness affects only the descendants of Adam.

9 The weight of oppression makes them cry out.

The power of mighty people makes them call for help.

10 But no one asks, 'Where is Eloah, my Creator, who inspires songs in the night, 11 who teaches us more than he teaches the animals of the earth, who makes us wiser than the birds in the sky?'

12 Then they cry out, but he doesn't answer them because of the arrogance of those evil people.

13 "Surely, El doesn't listen to idle complaints.

Shadday doesn't even pay attention to them.

14 Although you say that you pay attention to him, your case is in front of him, but you'll have to wait for him.

15 And now you say that his anger doesn't punish anyone and he isn't too concerned about evil.a 16 Job opens his mouth for no good reason and talks a lot without having any knowledge."

Elihu Continues: Hear Me Out 361 Elihu continued to speak to Job, 2 "Be patient with me a little longer, and I will show you that there is more to be said in Eloah's defense.

3 I will get my knowledge from far away and prove that my Creator is fair.

4 Certainly, my words are not lies.

The one who knows everything is speaking with you.

God's Justice Is Beyond Human Understanding 5 "Certainly, El is mighty.

He doesn't despise anyone.

He is mighty and brave.

6 He doesn't allow the wicked person to live.

He grants justice to those who are oppressed.

7 He doesn't take his eyes off righteous people.

He seats them on thrones with kings to honor them forever.

8 However, if righteous people are bound in chains and tangled in ropes of misery, 9 he tells them what they've done wrong and that they've behaved arrogantly.

10 He makes them listen to his warning and orders them to turn away from wrong.

11 "If righteous people listen and serve him, they will live out their days in prosperity and their years in comfort.

12 But if they don't listen, they will cross the River of Death and die like those who have no knowledge.

13 But those who have godless hearts remain angry.

They don't even call for help when he chains them up.

14 They die while they're young, or they live on as male prostitutes in the temples of idols.

15 He rescues suffering people through their suffering, and he opens their ears through distress.

16 "Yes, he lured you away from the jaws of trouble into an open area where you were not restrained, and your table was covered with rich foods.

17 But you are given the judgment evil people deserve.

A fair judgment will be upheld.

18 Be careful that you are not led astray with riches.

Don't let a large bribe turn you to evil ways.