Job 34:10-20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
10 “Therefore, hear me, you who have sense;
far be it from God that he should do wickedness
and from the Almighty[a] that he should do wrong.(A)
11 For according to their deeds he will repay them,
and according to their ways he will make it befall them.(B)
12 Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,
and the Almighty[b] will not pervert justice.(C)
13 Who gave him charge over the earth,
and who laid on him[c] the whole world?(D)
14 If he should take back his spirit[d] to himself
and gather to himself his breath,(E)
15 all flesh would perish together,
and all mortals return to dust.(F)
16 “If you have understanding, hear this;
listen to what I say.
17 Shall one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn one who is righteous and mighty,(G)
18 who says to a king, ‘You scoundrel!’
and to princes, ‘You wicked men!’;(H)
19 who shows no partiality to nobles,
nor regards the rich more than the poor,
for they are all the work of his hands?(I)
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.(J)
Job 34:10-20
International Standard Version
God is Just
10 “Therefore you men of understanding,[a] listen to me!
Far be it for God to practice wickedness,
or the Almighty to do what is wrong,
11 because he repays a person for his behavior;
and according to a person’s[b] conduct,
he lets it happen to[c] him.
12 Truly, God doesn’t practice wickedness,
and the Almighty doesn’t pervert justice.
13 Who entrusted the earth to him?
Who made him responsible for the entire inhabited world?
14 If he were to decide to do so,
that is, to take back to himself[d] his spirit and breath of life,[e]
15 every living thing would die all at once,[f]
and mankind would return to dust.”
God’s Rule is Just
16 If you have[g] understanding, listen to this!
Pay attention to what I have to say:
17 Can one who hates justice really govern?
And if God[h] is righteous and mighty, can you condemn him?[i]
18 Can one say to a king, ‘You’re vile!’
or to nobles, ‘You’re wicked!’?
19 Who isn’t partial to[j] princes?
Who doesn’t give preference to the nobles over the poor?
Nevertheless, all of them are his handiwork.
20 “They die suddenly, in the middle of the night;
people suffer seizures and pass away;
even valiant men can be taken away—
and not by human hands.
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