Logos Bible Study

Job 34:2–9

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34:2“Listen to my words, you wise men;

hear1 me, you learned men.2

34:3For the ear assesses3 words

as the mouth4 tastes food.

34:4Let us evaluate5 for ourselves what is right;6

let us come to know among ourselves what is good.

34:5For Job says, ‘I am innocent,7

but God turns away my right.

34:6Concerning my right, should I lie?8

My wound9 is incurable,

although I am without transgression.’10

34:7What man is like Job,

who11 drinks derision12 like water!

34:8He goes about13 in company14 with evildoers,

he goes along15 with wicked men.16

34:9For he says, ‘It does not profit a man

when he makes his delight with God.’17

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Heb “give ear to me.”
  2. 2 The Hebrew word means “the men who know,” and without a complement it means “to possess knowledge.”
  3. 3 Or “examines; tests; tries; discerns.”
  4. 4 Or “palate”; the Hebrew term refers to the tongue or to the mouth in general.
  5. 5 Elihu means “choose after careful examination.”
  6. 6 The word is מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) again, with the sense of what is right or just.
  7. 7 Heb “righteous,” but in this context it means to be innocent or in the right.
  8. 8 The verb is the Piel imperfect of כָּזַב (kazav), meaning “to lie.” It could be a question: “Should I lie [against my right?]—when I am innocent. If it is repointed to the Pual, then it can be “I am made to lie,” or “I am deceived.” Taking it as a question makes good sense here, and so emendations are unnecessary.
  9. 9 The Hebrew text has only “my arrow.” Some commentators emend that word slightly to get “my wound.” But the idea could be derived from “arrows” as well, the wounds caused by the arrows. The arrows are symbolic of God’s affliction.
  10. 10 Heb “without transgression”; but this is parallel to the first part where the claim is innocence.
  11. 11 Heb “he drinks,” but coming after the question this clause may be subordinated.
  12. 12 The scorn or derision mentioned here is not against Job, but against God. Job scorns God so much, he must love it. So to reflect this idea, Gordis has translated it “blasphemy” (cf. ).
  13. 13 The perfect verb with the vav (ו) consecutive carries the sequence forward from the last description.
  14. 14 The word חֶבְרַה (khevrah, “company”) is a . But its meaning is clear enough from the connections to related words and this context as well.
  15. 15 The infinitive construct with the ל (lamed) preposition may continue the clause with the finite verb (see §114.p).
  16. 16 Heb “men of wickedness”; the genitive is attributive (= “wicked men”).
  17. 17 Gordis, however, takes this expression in the sense of “being in favor with God.”

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“Hear my words, you wise men,

and give ear to me, you who know;

for the ear tests words

as the palate tastes food.

Let us choose what is right;

let us know among ourselves what is good.

For Job has said, ‘I am in the right,

and God has taken away my right;

in spite of my right I am counted a liar;

my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’

What man is like Job,

who drinks up scoffing like water,

who travels in company with evildoers

and walks with wicked men?

For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing

that he should take delight in God.’

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“Hear my words, you wise men;

listen to me, you men of learning.

For the ear tests words

as the tongue tastes food.

Let us discern for ourselves what is right;

let us learn together what is good.

“Job says, ‘I am innocent,

but God denies me justice.

Although I am right,

I am considered a liar;

although I am guiltless,

his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’

Is there anyone like Job,

who drinks scorn like water?

He keeps company with evildoers;

he associates with the wicked.

For he says, ‘There is no profit

in trying to please God.’

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Hear my words, you wise ones,

and listen to me, you knowledgeable ones.

Doesn’t the ear test words

as the palate tastes food?

Let us judge for ourselves what is right;

let us decide together what is good.

For Job has declared, “I am righteous,

yet God has deprived me of justice.

Would I lie about my case?

My wound is incurable,

though I am without transgression.”

What man is like Job?

He drinks derision like water.

He keeps company with evildoers

and walks with wicked men.

For he has said, “A man gains nothing

when he becomes God’s friend.”

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

“Listen to me, you wise men.

Pay attention, you who have knowledge.

Job said, ‘The ear tests the words it hears

just as the mouth distinguishes between foods.’

So let us discern for ourselves what is right;

let us learn together what is good.

For Job also said, ‘I am innocent,

but God has taken away my rights.

I am innocent, but they call me a liar.

My suffering is incurable, though I have not sinned.’

“Tell me, has there ever been a man like Job,

with his thirst for irreverent talk?

He chooses evil people as companions.

He spends his time with wicked men.

He has even said, ‘Why waste time

trying to please God?’

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“Hear my words, you wise men,

and listen to me, you who know,

for the ear tests words,

and the palate tastes food.

Let us choose justice for ourselves;

let us determine among ourselves what is good—

for Job has said, ‘I am righteous,

but God has taken away my justice.

Should I lie concerning my justice?

Though I am without transgression, my wound caused by an arrow is incurable.’

What man is like Job,

who drinks scorn like water?

And he goes on the road in company with instigators of mischief,

and walks with men of wickedness.

Indeed, he says, ‘A man does not profit

when he takes delight in God.’

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

Hear my words, O ye wise men;

And give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.

For the ear trieth words,

As the mouth tasteth meat.

Let us choose to us judgment:

Let us know among ourselves what is good.

For Job hath said, I am righteous:

And God hath taken away my judgment.

Should I lie against my right?

My wound is incurable without transgression.

What man is like Job,

Who drinketh up scorning like water?

Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity,

And walketh with wicked men.

For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing

That he should delight himself with God.

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