Job 34:7–10

¹⁶How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?

¹⁹And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst:

²²How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?

¹⁷For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

¹BLESSED is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

³³Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

²⁰He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

⁴I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.

¹⁸When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.

¹⁵My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:

¹²To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;

¹²Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches.

¹³Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.

¹⁴For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.

¹⁵If I say, I will speak thus; behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.

³Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?

⁵For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.

¹⁰But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

¹⁵Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?

¹⁴¶ Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.

¹⁴Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways.

¹⁵What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

¹⁶Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

³For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?

²²This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.

²³If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent.

¹⁴Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?

¹⁰Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?

³⁰If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;

³¹Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.

⁴Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

³⁰That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.

¹⁷Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?

¹⁴What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

⁴He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

⁷Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.

³Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

¹³Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

²⁵That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?

²³Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?

¹⁵To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

⁴God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

⁵But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)

²³Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.

³²But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

¹RIGHTEOUS art thou, O Lord, when I plead with thee: yet let me talk with thee of thy judgments: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper? wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously?

²Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.

³For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.

³⁴Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto me.

³²He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.