Job 34

“Listen to me, you wise men.
    Pay attention, you who have knowledge.

‘Hear my words, you wise men;
    listen to me, you men of learning.

Job said, ‘The ear tests the words it hears
    just as the mouth distinguishes between foods.’

For the ear tests words
    as the tongue tastes food.

So let us discern for ourselves what is right;
    let us learn together what is good.

Let us discern for ourselves what is right;
    let us learn together what is good.

For Job also said, ‘I am innocent,
    but God has taken away my rights.

‘Job says, “I am innocent,
    but God denies me justice.

I am innocent, but they call me a liar.
    My suffering is incurable, though I have not sinned.’

Although I am right,
    I am considered a liar;
although I am guiltless,
    his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.”

“Tell me, has there ever been a man like Job,
    with his thirst for irreverent talk?

Is there anyone like Job,
    who drinks scorn like water?

He chooses evil people as companions.
    He spends his time with wicked men.

He keeps company with evildoers;
    he associates with the wicked.

He has even said, ‘Why waste time
    trying to please God?’

For he says, “There is no profit
    in trying to please God.”

“Listen to me, you who have understanding.
    Everyone knows that God doesn’t sin!
    The Almighty can do no wrong.

‘So listen to me, you men of understanding.
    Far be it from God to do evil,
    from the Almighty to do wrong.

He repays people according to their deeds.
    He treats people as they deserve.

He repays everyone for what they have done;
    he brings on them what their conduct deserves.

Truly, God will not do wrong.
    The Almighty will not twist justice.

It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,
    that the Almighty would pervert justice.

Did someone else put the world in his care?
    Who set the whole world in place?

Who appointed him over the earth?
    Who put him in charge of the whole world?

If God were to take back his spirit
    and withdraw his breath,

If it were his intention
    and he withdrew his spirit^[a] and breath,

all life would cease,
    and humanity would turn again to dust.

all humanity would perish together
    and mankind would return to the dust.

“Now listen to me if you are wise.
    Pay attention to what I say.

‘If you have understanding, hear this;
    listen to what I say.

Could God govern if he hated justice?
    Are you going to condemn the almighty judge?

Can someone who hates justice govern?
    Will you condemn the just and mighty One?

For he says to kings, ‘You are wicked,’
    and to nobles, ‘You are unjust.’

Is he not the One who says to kings, “You are worthless,”
    and to nobles, “You are wicked,”

He doesn’t care how great a person may be,
    and he pays no more attention to the rich than to the poor.
    He made them all.

who shows no partiality to princes
    and does not favour the rich over the poor,
    for they are all the work of his hands?

In a moment they die.
    In the middle of the night they pass away;
    the mighty are removed without human hand.

They die in an instant, in the middle of the night;
    the people are shaken and they pass away;
    the mighty are removed without human hand.

“For God watches how people live;
    he sees everything they do.

‘His eyes are on the ways of mortals;
    he sees their every step.

No darkness is thick enough
    to hide the wicked from his eyes.

There is no deep shadow, no utter darkness,
    where evildoers can hide.

We don’t set the time
    when we will come before God in judgment.

God has no need to examine men further,
    that they should come before him for judgment.

He brings the mighty to ruin without asking anyone,
    and he sets up others in their place.

Without enquiry he shatters the mighty
    and sets up others in their place.

He knows what they do,
    and in the night he overturns and destroys them.

Because he takes note of their deeds,
    he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.

He strikes them down because they are wicked,
    doing it openly for all to see.

He punishes them for their wickedness
    where everyone can see them,

For they turned away from following him.
    They have no respect for any of his ways.

because they turned from following him
    and had no regard for any of his ways.

They cause the poor to cry out, catching God’s attention.
    He hears the cries of the needy.

They caused the cry of the poor to come before him,
    so that he heard the cry of the needy.

But if he chooses to remain quiet,
    who can criticize him?
When he hides his face, no one can find him,
    whether an individual or a nation.

But if he remains silent, who can condemn him?
    If he hides his face, who can see him?
Yet he is over individual and nation alike,

He prevents the godless from ruling
    so they cannot be a snare to the people.

    to keep the godless from ruling,
    from laying snares for the people.

“Why don’t people say to God, ‘I have sinned,
    but I will sin no more’?

‘Suppose someone says to God,
    “I am guilty but will offend no more.

Or ‘I don’t know what evil I have done—tell me.
    If I have done wrong, I will stop at once’?

Teach me what I cannot see;
    if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.”

“Must God tailor his justice to your demands?
    But you have rejected him!
The choice is yours, not mine.
    Go ahead, share your wisdom with us.

Should God then reward you on your terms,
    when you refuse to repent?
You must decide, not I;
    so tell me what you know.

After all, bright people will tell me,
    and wise people will hear me say,

‘Men of understanding declare,
    wise men who hear me say to me,

‘Job speaks out of ignorance;
    his words lack insight.’

“Job speaks without knowledge;
    his words lack insight.”

Job, you deserve the maximum penalty
    for the wicked way you have talked.

Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost
    for answering like a wicked man!

For you have added rebellion to your sin;
    you show no respect,
    and you speak many angry words against God.”