34:8 He goes about 1 in company 2 with evildoers,
he goes along 3 with wicked men. 4
34:9 For he says, ‘It does not profit a man
when he makes his delight with God.’ 5
34:10 “Therefore, listen to me, you men of understanding. 6
Far be it from 7 God to do wickedness,
from the Almighty to do evil.
34:11 For he repays a person for his work, 8
and according to the conduct of a person,
he causes the consequences to find him. 9
34:12 Indeed, in truth, God does not act wickedly,
and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
1 tn The perfect verb with the vav (ו) consecutive carries the sequence forward from the last description.
2 tn The word חֶבְרַה (khevrah, “company”) is a hapax legomenon. But its meaning is clear enough from the connections to related words and this context as well.
3 tn The infinitive construct with the ל (lamed) preposition may continue the clause with the finite verb (see GKC 351 §114.p).
4 tn Heb “men of wickedness”; the genitive is attributive (= “wicked men”).
5 tn Gordis, however, takes this expression in the sense of “being in favor with God.”
9 tn Heb “men of heart.” The “heart” is used for the capacity to understand and make the proper choice. It is often translated “mind.”
10 tn For this construction, see Job 27:5.
13 tn Heb “for the work of man, he [= God] repays him.”
14 tn Heb “he causes it to find him.” The text means that God will cause a man to find (or receive) the consequences of his actions.