Job 34

₂“Hear my words, you wise men,

and give ear to me, you who know;

₃for the ear tests words

as the palate tastes food.

₄Let us choose what is right;

let us know among ourselves what is good.

₅For Job has said, ‘I am in the right,

and God has taken away my right;

₆in spite of my right I am counted a liar;

my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’

₇What man is like Job,

who drinks up scoffing like water,

₈who travels in company with evildoers

and walks with wicked men?

₉For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing

that he should take delight in God.’

₁₀“Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding:

far be it from God that he should do wickedness,

and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.

₁₁For according to the work of a man he will repay him,

and according to his ways he will make it befall him.

₁₂Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,

and the Almighty will not pervert justice.

₁₃Who gave him charge over the earth,

and who laid on him the whole world?

₁₄If he should set his heart to it

and gather to himself his spirit and his breath,

₁₅all flesh would perish together,

and man would return to dust.

₁₆“If you have understanding, hear this;

listen to what I say.

₁₇Shall one who hates justice govern?

Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,

₁₈who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’

and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’

₁₉who shows no partiality to princes,

nor regards the rich more than the poor,

for they are all the work of his hands?

₂₀In a moment they die;

at midnight the people are shaken and pass away,

and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.

₂₁“For his eyes are on the ways of a man,

and he sees all his steps.

₂₂There is no gloom or deep darkness

where evildoers may hide themselves.

₂₃For God has no need to consider a man further,

that he should go before God in judgment.

₂₄He shatters the mighty without investigation

and sets others in their place.

₂₅Thus, knowing their works,

he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.

₂₆He strikes them for their wickedness

in a place for all to see,

₂₇because they turned aside from following him

and had no regard for any of his ways,

₂₈so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him,

and he heard the cry of the afflicted—

₂₉When he is quiet, who can condemn?

When he hides his face, who can behold him,

whether it be a nation or a man?—

₃₀that a godless man should not reign,

that he should not ensnare the people.

₃₁“For has anyone said to God,

‘I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more;

₃₂teach me what I do not see;

if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?

₃₃Will he then make repayment to suit you,

because you reject it?

For you must choose, and not I;

therefore declare what you know.

₃₄Men of understanding will say to me,

and the wise man who hears me will say:

₃₅‘Job speaks without knowledge;

his words are without insight.’

₃₆Would that Job were tried to the end,

because he answers like wicked men.

₃₇For he adds rebellion to his sin;

he claps his hands among us

and multiplies his words against God.”