Job 34

Elihu continues his harangue against Job. In the days when I was reading commentaries on Job, I noted from Crenshaw and Edwin Good that scholars are generally negative about this character. (Post from 6 years ago here. I remain largely in agreement with these thoughts about Elihu. He anticipates Christ Jesus and is the means of Job's approach to the confrontation with Yahweh.) My translations are quite different from the ones I did 6 years ago mostly because of error correction with respect to concordance rules that I have developed since that first attempt at this ultimate parable.

I have a lot of questions still about this chapter.

Job 34		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וַיַּ֥עַן אֱלִיה֗וּא וַיֹּאמַֽר	1		And Elihu answered and said,	3e	3f	9
שִׁמְע֣וּ חֲכָמִ֣ים מִלָּ֑י וְ֝יֹדְעִ֗ים הַאֲזִ֥ינוּ לִֽי	2		Hear, you who are wise, my speech, and you who have knowledge, lend an ear to me.	3e	4B	7 8
כִּי־אֹ֭זֶן מִלִּ֣ין תִּבְחָ֑ן וְ֝חֵ֗ךְ יִטְעַ֥ם לֶאֱכֹֽל	3		For an ear tests speeches, and a palate tastes food.	3e	4B	6 7
מִשְׁפָּ֥ט נִבְחֲרָה־לָּ֑נוּ נֵדְעָ֖ה בֵינֵ֣ינוּ מַה־טּֽוֹב	4		Judgment let us choose for ourselves. Let us know among ourselves what is good.	3e	4B	7 7
כִּֽי־אָ֭מַר אִיּ֣וֹב צָדַ֑קְתִּי וְ֝אֵ֗ל הֵסִ֥יר מִשְׁפָּטִֽי	5		For Job said, "I am just, and the One has turned aside my judgment.	3e	4B	7 7
עַל־מִשְׁפָּטִ֥י אֲכַזֵּ֑ב אָנ֖וּשׁ חִצִּ֣י בְלִי־פָֽשַׁע	6		Against my judgment should I lie? Incurable is my wound, without transgression."	3e	4B	7 7
מִי־גֶ֥בֶר כְּאִיּ֑וֹב יִֽשְׁתֶּה־לַּ֥עַג כַּמָּֽיִם	7		Who is a valiant one like Job! Let him imbibe derision like water.	3e	4A	5 7
וְאָרַ֣ח לְ֭חֶבְרָה עִם־פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן וְ֝לָלֶ֗כֶת עִם־אַנְשֵׁי־רֶֽשַׁע	8		So let him take a path cobbled together with the workers of mischief, and let him walk with persons of wickedness.	3e	4B	12 8
כִּֽי־אָ֭מַר לֹ֣א יִסְכָּן־גָּ֑בֶר בִּ֝רְצֹת֗וֹ עִם־אֱלֹהִֽים	9		For he said, One who is valiant will not be cherished, that it find favour with God.	3e	4B	7 7
לָכֵ֤ן ׀ אַ֥נֲשֵׁ֥י‬ לֵבָ֗ב שִׁמְע֫וּ לִ֥י חָלִ֖לָה לָאֵ֥ל מֵרֶ֗שַׁע וְשַׁדַּ֥י מֵעָֽוֶל	10		Therefore persons of heart, hear me: It is out of the question that the One is wicked, or that the Sufficient is unjust.	3e	4C	10 14
כִּ֤י פֹ֣עַל אָ֭דָם יְשַׁלֶּם־ל֑וֹ וּֽכְאֹ֥רַח אִ֝֗ישׁ יַמְצִאֶֽנּוּ	11	C	For the work of a human he will repay to it, and as the path of each, he will let it be found.	3e	4C	9 8
אַף־אָמְנָ֗ם אֵ֥ל לֹֽא־יַרְשִׁ֑יעַ וְ֝שַׁדַּ֗י לֹֽא־יְעַוֵּ֥ת מִשְׁפָּֽט	12		Indeed truly the One does not do wickedness, and the Sufficient does not subvert judgment.	3e	4A	8 9
מִֽי־פָקַ֣ד עָלָ֣יו אָ֑רְצָה וּמִ֥י שָׂ֝֗ם תֵּבֵ֥ל כֻּלָּֽהּ	13		Who has given visitation rights to him earthward? And who sets in place the world, all of it?	3e	4B	6 7
אִם־יָשִׂ֣ים אֵלָ֣יו לִבּ֑וֹ רוּח֥וֹ וְ֝נִשְׁמָת֗וֹ אֵלָ֥יו יֶאֱסֹֽף	14		If he sets on him his heart, his spirit and his breath to him he gathers.	3e	4B	7 11
יִגְוַ֣ע כָּל־בָּשָׂ֣ר יָ֑חַד וְ֝אָדָ֗ם עַל־עָפָ֥ר יָשֽׁוּב	15		All flesh will expire as one, and a human to dust will return.	3e	4B	7 8
וְאִם־בִּ֥ינָה שִׁמְעָה־זֹּ֑את הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינָה לְק֣וֹל מִלָּֽי	16		And if discerning, you hear this, give ear to the voice of my speech.	3e	4B	7 8
הַאַ֬ף שׂוֹנֵ֣א מִשְׁפָּ֣ט יַחֲב֑וֹשׁ וְאִם־צַדִּ֖יק כַּבִּ֣יר תַּרְשִֽׁיעַ	17		Indeed will one who hates judgment bind? and an intense righteous one, will you condemn?	3e	4B	9 9
הַאֲמֹ֣ר לְמֶ֣לֶךְ בְּלִיָּ֑עַל רָ֝שָׁ֗ע אֶל־נְדִיבִֽים	18		Will it say of the king, Worthlessness? Wickedness, to princes?	3e	4B	10 6
אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־נָשָׂ֨א ׀ פְּנֵ֥י שָׂרִ֗ים וְלֹ֣א נִכַּר־שׁ֭וֹעַ‬ לִפְנֵי־דָ֑ל כִּֽי־מַעֲשֵׂ֖ה יָדָ֣יו כֻּלָּֽם	19		One who is not partial to the presence of nobility and does not recognize the cry for help facing the weak, for all of them are the deed of his hands,	3e	4C	17 7
רֶ֤גַע ׀ יָמֻתוּ֮ וַחֲצ֪וֹת לָ֥יְלָה יְגֹעֲשׁ֣וּ עָ֣ם וְיַעֲבֹ֑רוּ וְיָסִ֥ירוּ אַ֝בִּ֗יר לֹ֣א בְיָֽד	20	C	In a moment they die, and at midnight people are shaken and they cross over, and the mighty are turned aside without a hand.	3d	4C	20 9
כִּי־עֵ֭ינָיו עַל־דַּרְכֵי־אִ֑ישׁ וְֽכָל־צְעָדָ֥יו יִרְאֶֽה	21		For his eyes are on the ways of each, and all his paces he sees.	3e	4A	6 7
אֵֽין־חֹ֭שֶׁךְ‬ וְאֵ֣ין צַלְמָ֑וֶת לְהִסָּ֥תֶר שָׁ֝֗ם פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן	22		There is no darkness and there is no death-shadow, where workers of mischief are hidden.	3e	4B	8 10
כִּ֤י לֹ֣א עַל־אִ֭ישׁ יָשִׂ֣ים ע֑וֹד לַהֲלֹ֥ךְ אֶל־אֵ֝֗ל בַּמִּשְׁפָּֽט	23	C	For not on each will he further set, than to walk to the One in the judgment	3e	4C	7 8
יָרֹ֣עַ כַּבִּירִ֣ים לֹא־חֵ֑קֶר וַיַּעֲמֵ֖ד אֲחֵרִ֣ים תַּחְתָּֽם	24		He will do evil to the intense with no examination, and he will install others instead of them.	3e	4B	8 9
לָכֵ֗ן יַ֭כִּיר מַעְבָּֽדֵיהֶ֑ם וְהָ֥פַךְ לַ֝֗יְלָה וְיִדַּכָּֽאוּ	25		Therefore he recognizes their service, and he overturns by night and they are crushed.	3e	4A	8 10
תַּֽחַת־רְשָׁעִ֥ים סְפָקָ֗ם בִּמְק֥וֹם רֹאִֽים	26		Instead of the wicked he cuffs them in the place of those who see.	3e	3f	11
אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־כֵּ֭ן סָ֣רוּ מֵֽאַחֲרָ֑יו וְכָל־דְּ֝רָכָ֗יו לֹ֣א הִשְׂכִּֽילוּ	27		That they so turned aside from following him, and into all his ways they did not have insight,	3e	4B	10 9
לְהָבִ֣יא עָ֭לָיו צַֽעֲקַת־דָּ֑ל וְצַעֲקַ֖ת עֲנִיִּ֣ים יִשְׁמָֽע	28		to bring upon him the outcry of the weak, and the outcry of the poor he hears.	3e	4B	9 9
וְה֤וּא יַשְׁקִ֨ט ׀ וּמִ֥י יַרְשִׁ֗עַ וְיַסְתֵּ֣ר פָּ֭נִים וּמִ֣י יְשׁוּרֶ֑נּוּ וְעַל־גּ֖וֹי וְעַל־אָדָ֣ם יָֽחַד	29	C	And himself he is quiet, so who makes wickedness? And he hides presence, and who can scrutinize him? And as for a nation so it is for humanity together.	3e	4C	20 10
מִ֭מְּלֹךְ אָדָ֥ם חָנֵ֗ף מִמֹּ֥קְשֵׁי עָֽם	30	g	From the reign of hypocritical humanity to the entrapment of the people.	3e	3g	10
כִּֽי־אֶל־אֵ֭ל הֶאָמַ֥ר נָשָׂ֗אתִי לֹ֣א אֶחְבֹּֽל	31		For to the One be it said, I have borne. I will not inflict pain.	3e	4B	12
בִּלְעֲדֵ֣י אֶ֭חֱזֶה אַתָּ֣ה הֹרֵ֑נִי אִֽם־עָ֥וֶל פָּ֝עַ֗לְתִּי לֹ֣א אֹסִֽיף	32		Apart from my gazing, you yourself instruct me. If injustice I have worked, I will not again.	3e	4B	11 9
הַֽמֵעִמְּךָ֬ יְשַׁלְמֶ֨נָּה כִּֽי־מָאַ֗סְתָּ כִּי־אַתָּ֣ה תִבְחַ֣ר וְלֹא־אָ֑נִי וּֽמַה־יָדַ֥עְתָּ דַבֵּֽר	33		How is it with you? He will repay it for you refused, for yourself, you chose, and not I, and what do you know? Speak.	3e	4B	18 7
אַנְשֵׁ֣י לֵ֭בָב יֹ֣אמְרוּ לִ֑י וְגֶ֥בֶר חָ֝כָ֗ם שֹׁמֵ֥עַֽ לִֽי	34		Persons of heart will say to me, and one who is valiant of wisdom hears me:	3e	4B	7 9
אִ֭יּוֹב לֹא־בְדַ֣עַת יְדַבֵּ֑ר וּ֝דְבָרָ֗יו לֹ֣א בְהַשְׂכֵּֽיל	35	g	Job without knowledge speaks, and his words are not with insight.	3e	4B	9 7
אָבִ֗י יִבָּחֵ֣ן אִיּ֣וֹב עַד־נֶ֑צַח עַל־תְּ֝שֻׁבֹ֗ת בְּאַנְשֵׁי־אָֽוֶן	36		My father, Job will be tested for ever in perpetuity, to the turnings in persons of mischief,	3e	4B	10 8
כִּ֥י יֹ֘סִ֤יף עַֽל־חַטָּאת֣וֹ פֶ֭שַׁע בֵּינֵ֣ינוּ יִסְפּ֑וֹק וְיֶ֖רֶב אֲמָרָ֣יו לָאֵֽל ס	37	f	For he adds to his sin transgression. Between us is his sharp practice, and he increases his sayings for the One.	3e	4C	14 9