34:2 “Hear my speech, you wise men, And give ear to me, you who know.
34:3 For the ear tests words As the palate tastes food.
34:4 Let us choose for ourselves what is just; Let us know among ourselves what is good.
34:5 For Job has said, ‘I am righteous, But God has removed my justice;
34:6 Should I lie concerning my justice? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
34:7 What man is like Job, Who drinks up mocking like water,
34:8 But he travels in company with the workers of iniquity, And walks with wicked men?
34:9 For he has said, ‘It is of no use to a man When he is pleased with God.’
34:10 “Therefore, listen to me, you men with a heart of wisdom. Far be it from God to do injustice, And from the Almighty to do wrong.
34:11 For He pays a man according to his work, And makes him find it according to his way.
34:12 Truly, God will not act wickedly, And the Almighty will not pervert justice.
34:13 Who appointed Him with authority over the earth? And who has laid on Him the whole world?
34:14 If He should set His heart on it, If He should gather to Himself His spirit and His breath,
34:15 All flesh would breathe its last together, And man would return to dust.
34:16 “But if you have understanding, hear this; Give ear to the sound of my speech.
34:17 Shall one who hates justice rule? And will you condemn the righteous mighty One,
34:18 Who says to a king, ‘Vile one,’ To nobles, ‘Wicked ones’;
34:19 Who shows no partiality to princes Nor recognizes the rich above the poor, For they all are the work of His hands?
34:20 In a moment they die, and at midnight People are shaken and pass away, And the mighty are taken away without a hand.
34:21 “For His eyes are upon the ways of a man, And He sees all his steps.
34:22 There is no darkness or shadow of death Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
34:23 For He does not need to consider a man further, That he should go before God in judgment.
34:24 He breaks in pieces mighty men without searching anything out, And sets others in their place.
34:25 Therefore He recognizes their labors, And He overthrows them in the night, And they are crushed.
34:26 He strikes them like the wicked In a public place,
34:27 Because they turned aside from following Him, And had no insight from any of His ways;
34:28 So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him, And that He might hear the cry of the afflicted.
34:29 So if He keeps quiet, who then can condemn? So if He hides His face, who then can perceive Him? He is above both nation and man altogether,
34:30 So that godless men would not rule Nor be snares of the people.
34:31 “For has anyone said to God, ‘I have borne chastisement; I will not work destructively anymore;
34:32 Instruct me what I do not behold; If I have done injustice, I will not do it again’?
34:33 Shall He repay on your terms, because you have rejected it? For you must choose, and not I; Therefore say what you know.
34:34 Men with a heart of wisdom will say to me, And a wise man who hears me,
34:35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge, And his words are without insight.
34:36 Job ought to be tested to the limit Because he answers like wicked men.
34:37 For he adds transgression to his sin; He strikes his hands together among us, And multiplies his words against God.’”
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