Job 34:8-12

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 

God is Not Unjust

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.

[34:8]  ¹ tn The perfect verb with the vav (ו) consecutive carries the sequence forward from the last description.

[34:8]  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.

[34:8]  ³ tn The infinitive construct with the ל (lamed) preposition may continue the clause with the finite verb (see GKC 351 §114.p).

[34:8]  ⁴ tn Heb “men of wickedness”; the genitive is attributive (= “wicked men”).

[34:9]  ⁵ tn Gordis, however, takes this expression in the sense of “being in favor with God.”

[34:10]  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.”

[34:10]  ¹⁰ tn For this construction, see Job 27:5.

[34:11]  ¹³ tn Heb “for the work of man, he [= God] repays him.”

[34:11]  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.