Job

¹ Elihu continued:

² and see what you think of this.

³ as common as the sense of taste—

⁴ and figure out what's going on here?

⁵ but God won't give me a fair trial.

⁶ I've done nothing wrong, and I get punished anyway.'

⁷ Does nothing faze this man Job?

⁸ hanging out with the wrong crowd,

⁹ 'It doesn't pay to try to please God'?

¹⁰ certainly we're of one mind on this. It's impossible for God to do anything evil; no way can the Mighty One do wrong.

¹¹ Our chickens always come home to roost.

¹² for the Mighty One to subvert justice.

¹³ He cradles the whole world in his hand!

¹⁴ If he decided to hold his breath,

¹⁵ every man, woman, and child would die for lack of air.

¹⁶ this is all pretty obvious.

¹⁷ Do you dare condemn the righteous, mighty God?

¹⁸ exposing corrupt rulers as scoundrels and criminals?

¹⁹ Isn't he equally responsible to everybody?

²⁰ Don't wicked rulers tumble to their doom? When the so-called great ones are wiped out, we know God is working behind the scenes.

²¹ He doesn't miss a trick.

²² to hide those who do evil.

²³ their sin is an open-and-shut case.

²⁴ and replaces them at once with others.

²⁵ judgment is signed, sealed, and delivered.

²⁶ out in the open where everyone can see it,

²⁷ no longer even thought about him or his ways.

²⁸ the cry of the afflicted got God's attention.

²⁹ If he turns his face away, what can you do about it? But whether silent or hidden, he's there, ruling,

³⁰ and ruin people's lives.

³¹ Say, 'I sinned, but I'll sin no more.

³² Whatever evil I've done, I'll do it no more.'

³³ do you think he should start living on yours? You choose. I can't do it for you. Tell me what you decide.

³⁴ and the wise who have listened to me concur—

³⁵ He talks utter nonsense.'

³⁶ for wickedly talking back to God the way you have.

³⁷ by rebelling against God's discipline, Defiantly shaking your fist at God, piling up indictments against the Almighty One."