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10 “So listen to me, you who ·can understand [or are sensible].
    God can never do wrong!
    It is impossible for the Almighty to do evil.
11 God pays people back for what they have done
    and ·gives them what their actions deserve [L finds them out according to their ways].
12 Truly God will never do wrong;
    the Almighty will never ·twist [pervert] ·what is right [justice].
13 ·No one [L Who…?] chose God to rule over the earth
    or put him in charge of the whole world.
14 If God should ·decide [L set his mind/heart to himself]
    to take away ·life [L spirit] and breath,
15 then ·everyone [L all flesh] would ·die [expire] together
    and turn back into dust.

16 “If you can understand, hear this;
    ·listen to what I have to say [L give ear to my words].
17 Can anyone govern who hates what is right?
    How can you ·blame God [L condemn one] who is both ·fair [righteous] and powerful?
18 ·God [L Who…?] is the one who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’
    or to important people, ‘You are evil.’
19 He ·is not nicer to princes than other people [L shows no favoritism to princes],
    nor ·kinder [L gives more recognition] to ·rich people [nobles] than poor people,
    because he made them all with his own hands [Prov. 14:31; 17:5; 22:2].
20 They can die in a moment, in the middle of the night.
    ·They are struck down [L The people are shaken], and then they pass away;
    powerful people ·die [are taken away] ·without help [or not by human hand].

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10 “Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding.
Far be it from God to (A)do evil,
And from the Almighty to do wrong.
11 For He repays a person for (B)his work,
And lets things happen in correspondence to a man’s [a]behavior.
12 (C)God certainly will not act wickedly,
And the Almighty will not pervert justice.
13 Who (D)gave Him authority over the earth?
And who (E)has placed the whole world on Him?
14 If He were to [b]determine to do so,
If He were to (F)gather His [c]spirit and His breath to Himself,
15 [d](G)Humanity would perish together,
And mankind would (H)return to dust.

16 “But if you have understanding, hear this;
Listen to the sound of my words.
17 Shall (I)one who hates justice rule?
And (J)will you condemn the righteous mighty One,
18 Who says to a king, ‘You worthless one,’
To nobles, ‘You wicked one’;
19 Who shows no (K)partiality to the prominent,
Nor regards the rich as above the poor,
Since they are all the (L)work of His hands?
20 In a moment they die, and (M)at midnight
People are shaken and pass away,
And (N)the powerful are taken away without a hand.

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Footnotes

  1. Job 34:11 Lit way
  2. Job 34:14 Lit set His mind on Himself
  3. Job 34:14 Or Spirit
  4. Job 34:15 Lit All flesh