2“Hear my words, you wise men;
Give ear to me, you who have knowledge.
3For the ear tests words
As the palate tastes food.
4Let us choose justice for ourselves;
Let us know among ourselves what is good.

5“For Job has said, ‘I am righteous,
But God has taken away my justice;
6Should I lie concerning my right?
My [a]wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
7What man is like Job,
Who drinks [b]scorn like water,
8Who goes in company with the workers of iniquity,
And walks with wicked men?
9For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
That he should delight in God.’

10“Therefore listen to me, you [c]men of understanding:
Far be it from God to do wickedness,
And from the Almighty to commit iniquity.
11For He repays man according to his work,
And makes man to find a reward according to his way.
12Surely God will never do wickedly,
Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.
13Who gave Him charge over the earth?
Or who appointed Him over the whole world?
14If He should set His heart on it,
If He should gather to Himself His Spirit and His breath,
15All flesh would perish together,
And man would return to dust.

16“If you have understanding, hear this;
Listen to the sound of my words:
17Should one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn Him who is most just?
18Is it fitting to say to a king, ‘You are worthless,’
And to nobles, ‘You are wicked’?
19Yet He is not partial to princes,
Nor does He regard the rich more than the poor;
For they are all the work of His hands.
20In a moment they die, in the middle of the night;
The people are shaken and pass away;
The mighty are taken away without a hand.

21“For His eyes are on the ways of man,
And He sees all his steps.
22There is no darkness nor shadow of death
Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
23For He need not further consider a man,
That he should go before God in judgment.
24He breaks in pieces mighty men without inquiry,
And sets others in their place.
25Therefore He knows their works;
He overthrows them in the night,
And they are crushed.
26He strikes them as wicked men
In the open sight of others,
27Because they turned back from Him,
And would not consider any of His ways,
28So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to Him;
For He hears the cry of the afflicted.
29When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble?
And when He hides His face, who then can see Him,
Whether it is against a nation or a man alone?—
30That the hypocrite should not reign,
Lest the people be ensnared.

31“For has anyone said to God,
‘I have borne chastening;
I will offend no more;
32Teach me what I do not see;
If I have done iniquity, I will do no more’?
33Should He repay it according to your terms,
Just because you disavow it?
You must choose, and not I;
Therefore speak what you know.

34“Men of understanding say to me,
Wise men who listen to me:
35‘Job speaks without knowledge,
His words are without wisdom.’
36Oh, that Job were tried to the utmost,
Because his answers are like those of wicked men!
37For he adds rebellion to his sin;
He claps his hands among us,
And multiplies his words against God.”