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 evilor that the Almighty would ever do wicked things.
11. God will repay humanity for what it has doneand 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 himselfand 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 mightydoes not grant special favors to princesor prefer important people over poor peoplebecause 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 shadowwhere troublemakers can hide.
23. He doesn’t have to set a time for a personin order to bring him to divine judgment.
24. He breaks mighty people into pieces without examining themand 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,