New American Standard Bible 1995

Job 34:2-22

2“Hear my words, you wise men, And listen to me, you who know.3For 1the ear tests words As the palate tastes food.4Let us choose for ourselves what is right; Let us know among ourselves what is good.5For Job has said, ‘2I am righteous, But 3God has taken away my right;6 4Should I lie concerning my right? My 5 6wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’7What man is like Job, Who 7drinks up derision like water,8Who goes 8in company with the workers of iniquity, And walks with wicked men?9For he has said, ‘9It profits a man nothing When he 10is pleased with God.’

10“Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to 11do wickedness, And from the Almighty to do wrong.11For He pays a man according to 12his work, And makes 13him find it according to his way.12Surely, 14God will not act wickedly, And the Almighty will not pervert justice.13Who 15gave Him authority over the earth? And who 16has laid on Him the whole world?14If He should 17determine to do so, If He should 18gather to Himself His spirit and His breath,15All 19flesh would perish together, And man would 20return to dust.

16“But if you have understanding, hear this; Listen to the sound of my words.17Shall 21one who hates justice rule? And 22will you condemn the righteous mighty One,18Who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’ To nobles, ‘Wicked ones’;19Who shows no 23partiality to princes Nor regards the rich above the poor, For they all are the 24work of His hands?20In a moment they die, and 25at midnight People are shaken and pass away, And 26the mighty are taken away without a hand.

21“For 27His eyes are upon the ways of a man, And He sees all his steps.22There is 28no darkness or deep shadow Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

Read all of Job 34

Notes

1. Job 34:3 Job 12:11 ↩
2. Job 34:5 Job 13:18; 33:9 ↩
3. Job 34:5 Job 27:2 ↩
4. Job 34:6 Or Although I am right I am accounted a liar ↩
5. Job 34:6 Lit arrow ↩
6. Job 34:6 Job 6:4 ↩
7. Job 34:7 Job 15:16 ↩
8. Job 34:8 Job 22:15 ↩
9. Job 34:9 Job 21:15; 35:3; Ps 50:18 ↩
10. Job 34:9 Or takes delight in God ↩
11. Job 34:10 Gen 18:25; Deut 32:4; Job 8:3; 34:12; Rom 9:14 ↩
12. Job 34:11 Job 34:25; Ps 62:12; Prov 24:12; Jer 32:19; Ezek 33:20; Matt 16:27; Rom 2:6; 2 Cor 5:10; Rev 22:12 ↩
13. Job 34:11 Lit a man ↩
14. Job 34:12 Job 34:10 ↩
15. Job 34:13 Job 38:4 ↩
16. Job 34:13 Job 38:5 ↩
17. Job 34:14 Lit set His mind on Himself ↩
18. Job 34:14 Job 12:10; Ps 104:29; Eccl 12:7 ↩
19. Job 34:15 Gen 7:21; Job 9:22 ↩
20. Job 34:15 Gen 3:19; Job 10:9 ↩
21. Job 34:17 2 Sam 23:3; Job 34:30 ↩
22. Job 34:17 Job 40:8 ↩
23. Job 34:19 Lev 19:15; Deut 10:17; 2 Chr 19:7; Acts 10:34; Rom 2:11; Gal 2:6; Eph 6:9; Col 3:25; 1 Pet 1:17 ↩
24. Job 34:19 Job 10:3 ↩
25. Job 34:20 Ex 12:29; Job 34:25; 36:20 ↩
26. Job 34:20 Job 12:19 ↩
27. Job 34:21 Job 24:23; 31:4; Prov 5:21; 15:3; Jer 16:17 ↩
28. Job 34:22 Ps 139:11, 12; Amos 9:2, 3 ↩

Notes

Commentaries on Job 34