Albert Barnes Commentary Job 34:23

"For he needeth not further to consider a man, That he should go before God in judgment." — Job 34:23 (ASV)

For He will not lay upon man more than right – Very different translations have been given of this verse. According to our common version, it means that God will not deal with humankind in such a way as to give anyone just reason for questioning the righteousness of God's dealings. No one shall in any case receive more punishment than their sins deserve, so as to give them cause for complaint. This is undoubtedly a correct sentiment, but it may be doubted whether it is the meaning conveyed by the original.

Umbreit translates it:

Denn er braucht auf einem Mann nicht lang zu achten
Um ihm vor Gott in das Gericht zu ziehen.

This is translated as: “For He needs not long to regard a man in order to bring him before God in judgment” – meaning that He has all power, that He can at once see all his character, and that He can bring him at once to His bar. This translation undoubtedly agrees with the general scope of the argument.

Noyes translates it:

He needs not attend long to a man,
To bring him into judgment before God.

Wemyss translates it in a similar way:

He has no need of laborious inquiry,
In order to convict men at His tribunal.

Rosenmüller gives a similar meaning to the passage. According to this, the meaning is that there is no need for God to give long attention to a person, or go into a lengthy investigation, in order to bring them to judgment. He knows them at a glance. He can at once convict them, and can decide the case in a moment without danger of error. Human tribunals require long and patient investigation, and then are often deceived; but no such necessity, and no such danger, applies to God. This interpretation agrees with the scope of the passage (compare the notes at Job 34:24), and seems to me to be correct.

The Hebrew literally is, “For not upon man will He place (namely, His mind or attention) long that he should go before God in judgment;” that is, there is no need of long and anxious investigation on His part, in order that He may prove that it is right for Him to cut man off. He may do it at once, and no one has a right to complain.