2 “Listen to my words, you wise men.

Open your ears to me, you intelligent men.

3 The ear tests words

like the tongue tastes food.

4 Let’s decide for ourselves what is right

and agree among ourselves as to what is good,

5 because Job has said,

‘I’m righteous, but God has taken away my rights.

6 I’m considered a liar in spite of my rights.

I’ve been wounded by a deadly arrow,

though I haven’t been disobedient.’

7 What person is like Job,

who drinks scorn like water,

8 who travels with troublemakers

and associates with evil people?

9 He says, ‘It doesn’t do any good to try to please God.’

10 “You people who have understanding, listen to me.

It is unthinkable that God would ever do evil

or that the Almighty would ever do wicked things.

11 God will repay humanity for what it has done

and will give each person what he deserves.

12 Certainly, God will never do anything evil,

and the Almighty will never pervert justice.

13 Who put him in charge of the earth?

Who appointed him to be over the whole world?

14 If he thought only of himself

and withdrew his Spirit and his breath,

15 all living beings would die together,

and humanity would return to dust.

16 “If you understand, listen to this.

Open your ears to my words!

17 Should anyone who hates justice be allowed to govern?

Will you condemn the one who is righteous and mighty?

18 Should anyone ⌞even⌟ say to a king,

‘You good-for-nothing scoundrel!’

or to nobles, ‘You wicked people!’

19 The one who is righteous and mighty

does not grant special favors to princes

or prefer important people over poor people

because his hands made them all.

20 They die suddenly in the middle of the night.

People have seizures and pass away.

Mighty people are taken away but not by human hands.

21 God’s eyes are on a person’s ways.

He sees all his steps.

22 There’s no darkness or deep shadow

where troublemakers can hide.

23 He doesn’t have to set a time for a person

in order to bring him to divine judgment.

24 He breaks mighty people into pieces without examining them

and puts others in their places.

25 He knows what they do,

so he overthrows them at night, and they’re crushed.

26 In return for their evil, he strikes them in public,

27 because they turned away from following him

and didn’t consider any of his ways.

28 They forced the poor to cry out to him,

and he hears the cry of those who suffer.

29 If he keeps quiet, who can condemn him?

If he hides his face, who can see him

whether it is a nation or a single person?

30  ⌞He does this⌟ so that godless people cannot rule

and so that they cannot trap people.

31 “But suppose such a person says to God, ‘I am guilty,

I will stop my immoral behavior.

32 Teach me what I cannot see.

If I’ve done wrong, I won’t do it again.’

33 Should God reward you on your own terms since you have rejected his?

You must choose, not I.

Tell me what you know. Speak!

34 “People of understanding, the wise people

who listen to me, will say,

35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge.

His words show no insight.’

36 “My Father, let Job be thoroughly tested

for giving answers like wicked people do.

37 He adds disobedience to his sin.

He claps his hands to insult us.

He multiplies his words against God.”