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1. Then Elihu said:
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1. Furthermore Elihu H453 answered H6030 and said H559 ,
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2. "Hear my words, you wise men; listen to me, you who know a lot.
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2. Hear H8085 my words H4405 , O ye wise H2450 men ; and give ear H238 unto me , ye that have knowledge H3045 .
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3. The ear tests words as the tongue tastes food.
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3. For H3588 the ear H241 trieth H974 words H4405 , as the mouth H2441 tasteth H2938 meat H398 .
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4. Let's decide for ourselves what is right, and let's learn together what is good.
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4. Let us choose H977 to us judgment H4941 : let us know H3045 among H996 ourselves what H4100 is good H2896 .
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5. "Job says, 'I am not guilty, and God has refused me a fair trial.
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5. For H3588 Job H347 hath said H559 , I am righteous H6663 : and God H410 hath taken away H5493 my judgment H4941 .
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6. Instead of getting a fair trial, I am called a liar. I have been seriously hurt, even though I have not sinned.'
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6. Should I lie H3576 against H5921 my right H4941 ? my wound H2671 is incurable H605 without H1097 transgression H6588 .
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7. There is no other man like Job; he takes insults as if he were drinking water.
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7. What H4310 man H1397 is like Job H347 , who drinketh up H8354 scorning H3933 like water H4325 ?
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8. He keeps company with those who do evil and spends time with wicked men,
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8. Which goeth H732 in company H2274 with H5973 the workers H6466 of iniquity H205 , and walketh H1980 with H5973 wicked H7562 men H376 .
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9. because he says, 'It is no use to try to please God.'
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9. For H3588 he hath said H559 , It profiteth H5532 a man H1397 nothing H3808 that he should delight H7521 himself with H5973 God H430 .
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10. "So listen to me, you who can understand. God can never do wrong! It is impossible for the Almighty to do evil.
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10. Therefore H3651 hearken H8085 unto me , ye men H376 of understanding H3824 : far be it H2486 from God H410 , that he should do wickedness H4480 H7562 ; and from the Almighty H7706 , that he should commit iniquity H4480 H5766 .
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11. God pays a person back for what he has done and gives him what his actions deserve.
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11. For H3588 the work H6467 of a man H120 shall he render H7999 unto him , and cause every man H376 to find H4672 according to his ways H734 .
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12. Truly God will never do wrong; the Almighty will never twist what is right.
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12. Yea H637 , surely H551 God H410 will not H3808 do wickedly H7561 , neither H3808 will the Almighty H7706 pervert H5791 judgment H4941 .
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13. No one chose God to rule over the earth or put him in charge of the whole world.
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13. Who H4310 hath given him a charge H6485 H5921 over the earth H776 ? or who H4310 hath disposed H7760 the whole H3605 world H8398 ?
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14. If God should decide to take away life and breath,
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14. If H518 he set H7760 his heart H3820 upon H413 man, if he gather H622 unto H413 himself his spirit H7307 and his breath H5397 ;
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15. then everyone would die together and turn back into dust.
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15. All H3605 flesh H1320 shall perish H1478 together H3162 , and man H120 shall turn again H7725 unto H5921 dust H6083 .
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16. "If you can understand, hear this; listen to what I have to say.
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16. If H518 now thou hast understanding H998 , hear H8085 this H2063 : hearken H238 to the voice H6963 of my words H4405 .
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17. Can anyone govern who hates what is right? and powerful?
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17. Shall even H637 he that hateth H8130 right H4941 govern H2280 ? and wilt thou condemn H7561 him that is most H3524 just H6662 ?
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18. God is the one who says to kings, 'You are worthless,' or to important people, 'You are evil.'
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18. Is it fit to say H559 to a king H4428 , Thou art wicked H1100 ? and to H413 princes H5081 , Ye are ungodly H7563 ?
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19. He is not nicer to princes than other people, nor kinder to rich people than poor people, because he made them all with his own hands.
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19. How much less to him that H834 accepteth H5375 not H3808 the persons H6440 of princes H8269 , nor H3808 regardeth H5234 the rich H7771 more than H6440 the poor H1800 ? for H3588 they all H3605 are the work H4639 of his hands H3027 .
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20. They can die in a moment, in the middle of the night. They are struck down, and then they pass away; powerful people die without help.
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20. In a moment H7281 shall they die H4191 , and the people H5971 shall be troubled H1607 at midnight H2676 H3915 , and pass away H5674 : and the mighty H47 shall be taken away H5493 without H3808 hand H3027 .
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21. "God watches where people go; he sees every step they take.
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21. For H3588 his eyes H5869 are upon H5921 the ways H1870 of man H376 , and he seeth H7200 all H3605 his goings H6806 .
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22. There is no dark place or deep shadow where those who do evil can hide from him.
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22. There is no H369 darkness H2822 , nor H369 shadow of death H6757 , where H8033 the workers H6466 of iniquity H205 may hide themselves H5641 .
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23. He does not set a time for people to come before him for judging.
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23. For H3588 he will not H3808 lay H7760 upon H5921 man H376 more H5750 than right ; that he should enter H1980 into judgment H4941 with H413 God H410 .
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24. Without asking questions, God breaks powerful people into pieces and puts others in their place.
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24. He shall break in pieces H7489 mighty men H3524 without H3808 number H2714 , and set H5975 others H312 in their stead H8478 .
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25. Because God knows what people do, he defeats them in the night, and they are crushed.
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25. Therefore H3651 he knoweth H5234 their works H4566 , and he overturneth H2015 them in the night H3915 , so that they are destroyed H1792 .
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26. He punishes them for the evil they do so that everyone else can watch,
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26. He striketh H5606 them as H8478 wicked men H7563 in the open H4725 sight H7200 of others;
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27. because they stopped following God and did not care about any of his ways.
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27. Because H834 H3651 H5921 they turned back H5493 from H4480 H310 him , and would not H3808 consider H7919 any H3605 of his ways H1870 :
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28. The cry of the poor comes to God; he hears the cry of the needy.
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28. So that they cause the cry H6818 of the poor H1800 to come H935 unto H5921 him , and he heareth H8085 the cry H6818 of the afflicted H6041 .
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29. But if God keeps quiet, who can blame him? If he hides his face, who can see him? God still rules over both nations and persons alike.
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29. When he H1931 giveth quietness H8252 , who H4310 then can make trouble H7561 ? and when he hideth H5641 his face H6440 , who H4310 then can behold H7789 him? whether it be done against H5921 a nation H1471 , or against H5921 a man H120 only H3162 :
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30. He keeps the wicked from ruling and from trapping others.
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30. That the hypocrite H120 H2611 reign not H4480 H4427 , lest the people H5971 be ensnared H4480 H4170 .
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31. "But suppose someone says to God, 'I am guilty, but I will not sin anymore.
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31. Surely it is meet H3588 to be said H559 unto H413 God H410 , I have borne H5375 chastisement , I will not H3808 offend H2254 any more :
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32. Teach me what I cannot see. If I have done wrong, I will not do it again.'
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32. That which I see H2372 not H1107 teach H3384 thou H859 me: if H518 I have done H6466 iniquity H5766 , I will do H3254 no H3808 more.
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33. So, Job, should God reward you as you want when you refuse to change? You must decide, not I, so tell me what you know.
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33. Should it be according to thy mind H4480 H5973 ? he will recompense H7999 it, whether H3588 thou refuse H3988 , or whether H3588 thou H859 choose H977 ; and not H3808 I H589 : therefore speak H1696 what H4100 thou knowest H3045 .
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34. "Those who understand speak, and the wise who hear me say,
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34. Let men H376 of understanding H3824 tell H559 me , and let a wise H2450 man H1397 hearken H8085 unto me.
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35. 'Job speaks without knowing what is true; his words show he does not understand.'
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35. Job H347 hath spoken H1696 without H3808 knowledge H1847 , and his words H1697 were without H3808 wisdom H7919 .
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36. I wish Job would be tested completely, because he answered like an evil man!
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36. My desire H15 is that Job H347 may be tried H974 unto H5704 the end H5331 because H5921 of his answers H8666 for wicked H205 men H376 .
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37. Job now adds to his sin by turning against God. He claps his hands in protest, speaking more and more against God."
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37. For H3588 he addeth H3254 rebellion H6588 unto H5921 his sin H2403 , he clappeth H5606 his hands among H996 us , and multiplieth H7235 his words H561 against God H410 .
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