Job 34:1-20

English Standard Version

² “Hear my words, you wise men,
    and give ear to me, you who know;
³ for ^(A)the ear tests words
    as the palate tastes food.
⁴ Let us choose ^(B)what is right;
    let us know among ourselves what is good.
⁵ For Job has said, ‘I am ^(C)in the right,
    and ^(D)God has taken away my right;
⁶ in spite of my right I am counted a liar;
    my wound is incurable, though I am ^(E)without transgression.’
⁷ What man is like Job,
    who ^(F)drinks up scoffing like water,
⁸ who travels in company with evildoers
    and walks ^(G)with wicked men?
⁹ For ^(H)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 ^(I)do wickedness,
    and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.
¹¹ For according to ^(J)the work of a man he will repay him,
    and ^(K)according to his ways he will make it befall him.
¹² Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,
    and ^(L)the Almighty will not pervert justice.
¹³ Who gave him charge over the earth,
    and who ^(M)laid on him^[a] the whole world?
¹⁴ If he should ^(N)set his heart to it
    and ^(O)gather to himself his ^(P)spirit and his breath,
¹⁵ all flesh would perish together,
    and man would ^(Q)return to dust.

¹⁶ “If you have understanding, hear this;
    listen to what I say.
^17 (R)Shall one who hates justice govern?
    Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
¹⁸ who ^(S)says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’
    and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’
¹⁹ who ^(T)shows no partiality to princes,
    nor regards the rich ^(U)more than the poor,
    for ^(V)they are all the work of his hands?
²⁰ In a moment ^(W)they die;
    at ^(X)midnight the people are shaken and pass away,
    and the mighty are taken away by ^(Y)no human hand.