1Elihu continued,
2“Hear what I’m saying, you wise men.
Listen to me, you who have learned so much.
3Our tongues tell us what tastes good and what doesn’t.
And our ears tell us what’s true and what isn’t.
4So let’s choose for ourselves what is right.
Let’s learn together what is good.
5“Job says, ‘I’m not guilty of doing anything wrong.
But God doesn’t treat me fairly.
6Even though I’m right,
he thinks I’m a liar.
Even though I’m not guilty,
his arrows give me wounds that can’t be healed.’
7Is there anyone like Job?
He accuses God as easily as he drinks water.
8He’s a companion of those who do evil.
He spends his time with sinful people.
9He asks, ‘What good is it
to try to please God?’
10“So listen to me, you men who have understanding.
God would never do what is evil.
The Mighty One would never do what is wrong.
11He pays back everyone for what they’ve done.
He gives them exactly what they should get.
12It isn’t possible for God to do wrong.
The Mighty One would never treat people unfairly.
13Who appointed him to rule over the earth?
Who put him in charge of the whole world?
14If he really wanted to,
he could hold back his spirit and breath.
15Then everyone would die together.
They would return to the dust.
16“Job, if you have understanding, listen to me.
Pay attention to what I’m saying.
17Can someone who hates to be fair govern?
Will you bring charges against the holy and mighty God?
18He says to kings, ‘You are worthless.’
He says to nobles, ‘You are evil.’
19He doesn’t favor princes.
He treats rich people and poor people the same.
His hands created all of them.
20They die suddenly in the middle of the night.
God strikes them down, and they pass away.
Even people who are mighty are removed, but not by human hands.
21“His eyes see how people live.
He watches every step they take.
22There is no deep shadow or total darkness
where those who do what is evil can hide.
23God doesn’t need to bring charges against anyone.
He knows they are guilty.
So he doesn’t need to have them appear in his court to be judged.
24He destroys the mighty without asking them questions in court.
Then he sets others up in their places.
25He knows what they do.
So he crushes them during the night.
26He punishes them for the sins they commit.
He does it where everyone can see them.
27That’s because they turned away from following him.
They didn’t have respect for anything he does.
28They caused poor people to cry out to him.
He heard the cries of those who were in need.
29But if he remains silent, who can judge him?
If he turns his face away, who can see him?
He rules over individual people and nations alike.
30He keeps those who are ungodly from ruling.
He keeps them from laying traps for others.
31“Someone might say to God,
‘I’m guilty of sinning,
but I won’t do it anymore.
32Show me my sins that I’m not aware of.
If I’ve done what is wrong,
I won’t do it again.’
33But you refuse to turn away from your sins.
So God won’t treat you the way you want to be treated.
You must decide, Job. I can’t do it for you.
So tell me what you know.
34“You men who have understanding have spoken.
You wise men who hear me have said to me,
35‘Job doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
The things he has said don’t make any sense.’
36I wish Job would be given the hardest test possible!
He answered like someone who is evil.
37To his sin he adds even more sin.
He claps his hands and makes fun of us.
He multiplies his words against God.”
1Sinabi pa ni Elihu,
2“Kayong mga nagsasabing marurunong at maraming nalalaman, pakinggan ninyo akong mabuti. 3Sapagkat kung papaanong alam ng dila ang masarap at hindi masarap na pagkain, alam din ng tainga kung ano ang tama at hindi tamang mga salita. 4Kaya alamin natin kung ano ang tama, pag-aralan natin kung ano ang mabuti. 5Sapagkat sinabi ni Job, ‘Wala akong kasalanan pero hindi ako binigyan ng Dios ng katarungan. 6Kahit na matuwid ako, itinuring akong sinungaling. Kahit na wala akong nagawang kasalanan, binigyan niya ako ng karamdamang walang kagalingan.’
7“Walang taong katulad ni Job na uhaw sa pangungutya. 8Ang gusto niyang makasama ay masasama at makasalanang tao, 9dahil sinabi niya, ‘Walang pakinabang ang tao kung magsisikap siyang bigyan kasiyahan ang Dios!’
10“Kaya makinig kayo sa akin, kayong mga nagsasabing kayo ay nakakaunawa. Ang Makapangyarihang Dios ay hindi gumagawa ng masama. 11Ginagantimpalaan niya ang tao ayon sa kanyang mga ginawa; pinakikitunguhan niya ito ayon sa nararapat sa kanyang ugali. 12Nakatitiyak akong hindi maaaring gumawa ang Makapangyarihang Dios ng masama. Hindi niya maaaring baluktutin ang hustisya. 13May nagtalaga ba sa kanya para pamunuan ang mundo? May nagbilin ba sa kanya ng mundo? Wala! 14Kung loloobin ng Dios na kunin ang buhay na ibinigay niya sa tao, 15lahat ng taoʼy mamamatay at babalik sa lupa.
16“Job, kung may pang-unawa ka, pakinggan mo ang sasabihin ko: 17Makakapamuno kaya ang Dios kung ayaw niya ng katarungan? Bakit mo hinahatulan ang matuwid at makapangyarihang Dios? 18Hindi baʼt siya ang sumasaway sa mga hari at pinunong masama at walang kwenta? 19Wala siyang itinatangi sa mga pinuno at wala rin siyang pinapanigan, mayaman man o mahirap, dahil silang lahat ay pare-pareho niyang nilikha. 20Kahit ang taong makapangyarihan ay biglang mamamatay sa gabi nang hindi ginagalaw ng tao.
21“Binabantayan ng Dios ang lahat ng ginagawa ng tao. 22Walang madilim na lugar na maaaring pagtaguan ng masama. 23Hindi na kailangang tawagin pa ng Dios ang tao upang humarap sa kanya para tanungin at hatulan. 24Hindi na niya kailangang imbestigahan pa ang taong namumuno para alisin ito sa katungkulan at palitan ng iba. 25Sapagkat alam niya ang kanilang ginagawa, inaalis niya sila sa kapangyarihan at nililipol kahit gabi. 26Hayagan niya silang pinaparusahan dahil sa kanilang kasamaan. 27Ginawa niya ito dahil tumigil sila ng pagsunod sa kanya, at binalewala ang kanyang pamamaraan. 28Inaapi nila ang mga dukha, at narinig ng Dios ang paghingi ng mga ito ng tulong. 29Pero kahit na tumahimik ang Dios at magtago, walang sinuman ang makapagsasabing mali siya. Ang totoo, binabantayan ng Dios ang tao at mga bansa, 30para patigilin ang pamumuno ng mga hindi makadios, na siyang bitag na pipinsala sa mga tao.
31“Job, bakit ayaw mong lumapit sa Dios at sabihin sa kanya, ‘Nagkasala po ako, pero hindi na ako magkakasala pa!’ 32o, ‘Sabihin nʼyo sa akin ang kasalanan ko. Kung nagkasala ako, hindi ko na ito muling gagawin.’ 33Papaano sasagutin ng Dios ang kahilingan mo kung hindi ka magsisisi? Ikaw ang magpapasya nito at hindi ako. Kaya sabihin mo sa akin kung ano ang pasya mo.
34“Ang mga taong marunong at may pang-unawa, na nakikinig sa akin, 35ay makapagsasabing ang mga sinasabi mo Job ay kamangmangan at walang kabuluhan. 36Dapat ka ngang lubusang subukin dahil nagsasalita kang gaya ng masamang tao. 37Dinadagdagan mo pa ang kasalanan mo dahil sa paghihimagsik mo sa Dios. Minamasama moʼt kinukutya ang Dios sa harap namin.”
