34:2Hear my words, ye wise men;
And give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
34:3For the ear trieth words,
As the palate tasteth food.
34:4Let us choose for us that which is right:
Let us know among ourselves what is good.
34:5For Job hath said, I am righteous,
And God hath taken away my right:
34:6Notwithstanding my right I am accounted a liar;
My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.
Who drinketh up scoffing like water,
34:8Who goeth in company with the workers of iniquity,
And walketh with wicked men?
34:9For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing
That he should delight himself with God.
34:10Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding:
Far be it from God, that he should do wickedness,
And from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.
34:11For the work of a man will he render unto him,
And cause every man to find according to his ways.
34:12Yea, of a surety, God will not do wickedly,
Neither will the Almighty pervert justice.
34:13Who gave him a charge over the earth?
Or who hath disposed the whole world?
34:14If he set his heart upon himself,
If he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;
34:15All flesh shall perish together,
And man shall turn again unto dust. \\ \\
34:16If now thou hast understanding, hear this:
Hearken to the voice of my words.
34:17Shall even one that hateth justice govern?
And wilt thou condemn him that is righteous and mighty?-
34:18Him that saith to a king, Thou art vile,
Or to nobles, Ye are wicked;
34:19That respecteth not the persons of princes,
Nor regardeth the rich more than the poor;
For they all are the work of his hands.
34:20In a moment they die, even at midnight;
The people are shaken and pass away,
And the mighty are taken away without hand. \\ \\
34:21For his eyes are upon the ways of a man,
And he seeth all his goings.
34:22There is no darkness, nor thick gloom,
Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
34:23For he needeth not further to consider a man,
That he should go before God in judgment.
34:24He breaketh in pieces mighty men in ways past finding out,
And setteth others in their stead.
34:25Therefore he taketh knowledge of their works;
And he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
34:26He striketh them as wicked men
In the open sight of others;
34:27Because they turned aside from following him,
And would not have regard in any of his ways:
34:28So that they caused the cry of the poor to come unto him,
And he heard the cry of the afflicted.
34:29When he giveth quietness, who then can condemn?
And when he hideth his face, who then can behold him?
Alike whether it be done unto a nation, or unto a man:
34:30That the godless man reign not,
That there be none to ensnare the people. \\ \\
34:31For hath any said unto God,
I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:
34:32That which I see not teach thou me:
If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more?
34:33Shall his recompense be as thou wilt, that thou refusest it?
For thou must choose, and not I:
Therefore speak what thou knowest.
34:34Men of understanding will say unto me,
Yea, every wise man that heareth me:
34:35Job speaketh without knowledge,
And his words are without wisdom.
34:36Would that Job were tried unto the end,
Because of his answering like wicked men.
34:37For he addeth rebellion unto his sin;
He clappeth his hands among us,
And multiplieth his words against God.
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