35:1 Then Elihu answered:
35:2 “Do you think this to be just:
when you say, ‘My right before God.’
35:3 But you say, ‘What will it profit you,’
and, ‘What do I gain by not sinning?’
35:4 I will reply to you,
and to your friends with you.
35:5 Gaze at the heavens and see;
consider the clouds, which are higher than you!
35:6 If you sin, how does it affect God?
If your transgressions are many,
what does it do to him?
35:7 If you are righteous, what do you give to God,
or what does he receive from your hand?
35:8 Your wickedness affects only a person like yourself,
and your righteousness only other people.
35:9 “People cry out
because of the excess of oppression;
they cry out for help
because of the power of the mighty.
35:10 But no one says, ‘Where is God, my Creator,
who gives songs in the night,
35:11 who teaches us more than the wild animals of the earth,
and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’
35:12 Then they cry out – but he does not answer –
because of the arrogance of the wicked.
35:13 Surely it is an empty cry – God does not hear it;
the Almighty does not take notice of it.
35:14 How much less, then,
when you say that you do not perceive him,
that the case is before him
and you are waiting for him!
35:15 And further, when you say
that his anger does not punish,
and that he does not know transgression!
35:16 So Job opens his mouth to no purpose;
without knowledge he multiplies words.”
36:1 Elihu said further:
36:2 “Be patient with me a little longer
and I will instruct you,
for I still have words to speak on God’s behalf.
36:3 With my knowledge I will speak comprehensively,
and to my Creator I will ascribe righteousness.
36:4 For in truth, my words are not false;
it is one complete in knowledge
who is with you.
36:5 Indeed, God is mighty; and he does not despise people,
he is mighty, and firm in his intent.
36:6 He does not allow the wicked to live,
but he gives justice to the poor.
36:7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous;
but with kings on the throne
he seats the righteous and exalts them forever.
36:8 But if they are bound in chains,
and held captive by the cords of affliction,
36:9 then he reveals to them what they have done,
and their transgressions,
that they were behaving proudly.
36:10 And he reveals this for correction,
and says that they must turn from evil.
36:11 If they obey and serve him,
they live out their days in prosperity
and their years in pleasantness.
36:12 But if they refuse to listen,
they pass over the river of death,
and expire without knowledge.
36:13 The godless at heart nourish anger,
they do not cry out even when he binds them.
36:14 They die in their youth,
and their life ends among the male cultic prostitutes.
36:15 He delivers the afflicted by their afflictions,
he reveals himself to them by their suffering.
36:16 And surely, he drew you from the mouth of distress,
to a wide place, unrestricted,
and to the comfort of your table
filled with rich food.
36:17 But now you are preoccupied with the judgment due the wicked,
judgment and justice take hold of you.
36:18 Be careful that no one entices you with riches;
do not let a large bribe turn you aside.
36:19 Would your wealth sustain you,
so that you would not be in distress,
even all your mighty efforts?
36:20 Do not long for the cover of night
to drag people away from their homes.
36:21 Take heed, do not turn to evil,
for because of this you have been tested by affliction.
36:22 Indeed, God is exalted in his power;
who is a teacher like him?
36:23 Who has prescribed his ways for him?
Or said to him, ‘You have done what is wicked’?
36:24 Remember to extol his work,
which people have praised in song.
36:25 All humanity has seen it;
people gaze on it from afar.
36:26 “Yes, God is great – beyond our knowledge!
The number of his years is unsearchable.
36:27 He draws up drops of water;
they distill the rain into its mist,
36:28 which the clouds pour down
and shower on humankind abundantly.
36:29 Who can understand the spreading of the clouds,
the thunderings of his pavilion?
36:30 See how he scattered his lightning about him;
he has covered the depths of the sea.
36:31 It is by these that he judges the nations
and supplies food in abundance.
36:32 With his hands he covers the lightning,
and directs it against its target.
36:33 His thunder announces the coming storm,
the cattle also, concerning the storm’s approach.
37:1 At this also my heart pounds
and leaps from its place.
37:2 Listen carefully to the thunder of his voice,
to the rumbling that proceeds from his mouth.
37:3 Under the whole heaven he lets it go,
even his lightning to the far corners of the earth.
37:4 After that a voice roars;
he thunders with an exalted voice,
and he does not hold back his lightning bolts
when his voice is heard.
37:5 God thunders with his voice in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.
37:6 For to the snow he says, ‘Fall to earth,’
and to the torrential rains, ‘Pour down.’
37:7 He causes everyone to stop working,
so that all people may know his work.
37:8 The wild animals go to their lairs,
and in their dens they remain.
37:9 A tempest blows out from its chamber,
icy cold from the driving winds.
37:10 The breath of God produces ice,
and the breadth of the waters freeze solid.
37:11 He loads the clouds with moisture;
he scatters his lightning through the clouds.
37:12 The clouds go round in circles,
wheeling about according to his plans,
to carry out all that he commands them
over the face of the whole inhabited world.
37:13 Whether it is for punishment for his land,
or whether it is for mercy,
he causes it to find its mark.
37:14 “Pay attention to this, Job!
Stand still and consider the wonders God works.
37:15 Do you know how God commands them,
how he makes lightning flash in his storm cloud?
37:16 Do you know about the balancing of the clouds,
that wondrous activity of him who is perfect in knowledge?
37:17 You, whose garments are hot
when the earth is still because of the south wind,
37:18 will you, with him, spread out the clouds,
solid as a mirror of molten metal?
37:19 Tell us what we should say to him.
We cannot prepare a case
because of the darkness.
37:20 Should he be informed that I want to speak?
If a man speaks, surely he would be swallowed up!
37:21 But now, the sun cannot be looked at –
it is bright in the skies –
after a wind passed and swept the clouds away.
37:22 From the north he comes in golden splendor;
around God is awesome majesty.
37:23 As for the Almighty, we cannot attain to him!
He is great in power,
but justice and abundant righteousness he does not oppress.
37:24 Therefore people fear him,
for he does not regard all the wise in heart.”