34:2 ‘Hear my words, 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 what is right; let us determine among ourselves what is good.
34:5 For Job has said, “I am innocent, and God has taken away my right;
34:6 in spite of being right I am counted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.”
34:7 Who is there like Job, who drinks up scoffing like water,
34:8 who goes in company with evildoers and walks with the wicked?
34:9 For he has said, “It profits one nothing to take delight in God.”
34:10 ‘Therefore, hear me, you who have sense, far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.
34:11 For according to their deeds he will repay them, and according to their ways he will make it befall them.
34:12 Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice.
34:13 Who gave him charge over the earth and who laid on him the whole world?
34:14 If he should take back his spirit to himself, and gather to himself his breath,
34:15 all flesh would perish together, and all mortals return to dust.
34:16 ‘If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say.
34:17 Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn one who is righteous and mighty,
34:18 who says to a king, “You scoundrel!” and to princes, “You wicked men!”;
34:19 who shows no partiality to nobles, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?
34:20 In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.
34:21 ‘For his eyes are upon the ways of mortals, and he sees all their steps.
34:22 There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.
34:23 For he has not appointed a time for anyone to go before God in judgement.
34:24 He shatters the mighty without investigation, and sets others in their place.
34:25 Thus, knowing their works, he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
34:26 He strikes them for their wickedness while others look on,
34:27 because they turned aside from following him, and had no regard for any of his ways,
34:28 so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted—
34:29 When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or an individual?—
34:30 so that the godless should not reign, or those who ensnare the people.
34:31 ‘For has anyone said to God, “I have endured punishment; I will not offend any more;
34:32 teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more”?
34:33 Will he then pay back to suit you, because you reject it? For you must choose, and not I; therefore declare what you know.
34:34 Those who have sense will say to me, and the wise who hear me will say,
34:35 “Job speaks without knowledge, his words are without insight.”
34:36 Would that Job were tried to the limit, because his answers are those of the wicked.
34:37 For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us, and multiplies his words against God.’
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