Chapter 34

Elihu Asserts God's Justice

1 Then Elihu answered and said:

2  “Hear my words, you wise men,
    and give ear to me, you who know;
3  for the ear tests words
    as the palate tastes food.
4  Let us choose what is right;
    let us know among ourselves what is good.
5  For Job has said, ‘I am in the right,
    and God has taken away my right;
6  in spite of my right I am counted a liar;
    my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
7  What man is like Job,
    who drinks up scoffing like water,
8  who travels in company with evildoers
    and walks with wicked men?
9  For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
    that he should take delight in God.’

10  Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding:
    far be it from God that he should do wickedness,
    and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.
11  For according to the work of a man he will repay him,
    and according to his ways he will make it befall him.
12  Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,
    and the Almighty will not pervert justice.
13  Who gave him charge over the earth,
    and who laid on him ^{1 34:13 Hebrew lacks on him} the whole world?
14  If he should set his heart to it
    and gather to himself his spirit and his breath,
15  all flesh would perish together,
    and man would return to dust.

16  If you have understanding, hear this;
    listen to what I say.
17  Shall one who hates justice govern?
    Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18  who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’
    and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’
19  who shows no partiality to princes,
    nor regards the rich more than the poor,
    for they are all the work of his hands?
20  In a moment they die;
    at midnight the people are shaken and pass away,
    and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.

21  For his eyes are on the ways of a man,
    and he sees all his steps.
22  There is no gloom or deep darkness
    where evildoers may hide themselves.
23  For God ^{2 34:23 Hebrew he} has no need to consider a man further,
    that he should go before God in judgment.
24  He shatters the mighty without investigation
    and sets others in their place.
25  Thus, knowing their works,
    he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
26  He strikes them for their wickedness
    in a place for all to see,
27  because they turned aside from following him
    and had no regard for any of his ways,
28  so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him,
    and he heard the cry of the afflicted—
29  When he is quiet, who can condemn?
    When he hides his face, who can behold him,
    whether it be a nation or a man?—
30  that a godless man should not reign,
    that he should not ensnare the people.

31  For has anyone said to God,
    ‘I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more;
32  teach me what I do not see;
    if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?
33  Will he then make repayment to suit you,
    because you reject it?
For you must choose, and not I;
    therefore declare what you know. ^{3 34:33 The meaning of the Hebrew in verses 2933 is uncertain}
34  Men of understanding will say to me,
    and the wise man who hears me will say:
35  ‘Job speaks without knowledge;
    his words are without insight.’
36  Would that Job were tried to the end,
    because he answers like wicked men.
37  For he adds rebellion to his sin;
    he claps his hands among us
    and multiplies his words against God.”

Chapter 35

Elihu Condemns Job

1 And Elihu answered and said:

2  “Do you think this to be just?
    Do you say, ‘It is my right before God,’
3  that you ask, ‘What advantage have I?
    How am I better off than if I had sinned?’
4  I will answer you
    and your friends with you.
5  Look at the heavens, and see;
    and behold the clouds, which are higher than you.
6  If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him?
    And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
7  If you are righteous, what do you give to him?
    Or what does he receive from your hand?
8  Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself,
    and your righteousness a son of man.

9  Because of the multitude of oppressions people cry out;
    they call for help because of the arm of the mighty. ^{4 35:9 Or the many}
10  But none says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
    who gives songs in the night,
11  who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth
    and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’
12  There they cry out, but he does not answer,
    because of the pride of evil men.
13  Surely God does not hear an empty cry,
    nor does the Almighty regard it.
14  How much less when you say that you do not see him,
    that the case is before him, and you are waiting for him!
15  And now, because his anger does not punish,
    and he does not take much note of transgression, ^{5 35:15 Theodotion, Symmachus (compare Vulgate); the meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain}
16  Job opens his mouth in empty talk;
    he multiplies words without knowledge.”

Chapter 36

Elihu Extols God's Greatness

1 And Elihu continued, and said:

2  “Bear with me a little, and I will show you,
    for I have yet something to say on God's behalf.
3  I will get my knowledge from afar
    and ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4  For truly my words are not false;
    one who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

5  Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any;
    he is mighty in strength of understanding.
6  He does not keep the wicked alive,
    but gives the afflicted their right.
7  He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous,
    but with kings on the throne
    he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
8  And if they are bound in chains
    and caught in the cords of affliction,
9  then he declares to them their work
    and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.
10  He opens their ears to instruction
    and commands that they return from iniquity.
11  If they listen and serve him,
    they complete their days in prosperity,
    and their years in pleasantness.
12  But if they do not listen, they perish by the sword
    and die without knowledge.

13  The godless in heart cherish anger;
    they do not cry for help when he binds them.
14  They die in youth,
    and their life ends among the cult prostitutes.
15  He delivers the afflicted by their affliction
    and opens their ear by adversity.
16  He also allured you out of distress
    into a broad place where there was no cramping,
    and what was set on your table was full of fatness.

17  But you are full of the judgment on the wicked;
    judgment and justice seize you.
18  Beware lest wrath entice you into scoffing,
    and let not the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.
19  Will your cry for help avail to keep you from distress,
    or all the force of your strength?
20  Do not long for the night,
    when peoples vanish in their place.
21  Take care; do not turn to iniquity,
    for this you have chosen rather than affliction.
22  Behold, God is exalted in his power;
    who is a teacher like him?
23  Who has prescribed for him his way,
    or who can say, ‘You have done wrong’?

24  Remember to extol his work,
    of which men have sung.
25  All mankind has looked on it;
    man beholds it from afar.
26  Behold, God is great, and we know him not;
    the number of his years is unsearchable.
27  For he draws up the drops of water;
    they distill his mist in rain,
28  which the skies pour down
    and drop on mankind abundantly.
29  Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds,
    the thunderings of his pavilion?
30  Behold, he scatters his lightning about him
    and covers the roots of the sea.
31  For by these he judges peoples;
    he gives food in abundance.
32  He covers his hands with the lightning
    and commands it to strike the mark.
33  Its crashing declares his presence; ^{6 36:33 Hebrew declares concerning him}
    the cattle also declare that he rises.

Chapter 37

Elihu Proclaims God's Majesty

1  At this also my heart trembles
    and leaps out of its place.
2  Keep listening to the thunder of his voice
    and the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
3  Under the whole heaven he lets it go,
    and his lightning to the corners of the earth.
4  After it his voice roars;
    he thunders with his majestic voice,
    and he does not restrain the lightnings ^{7 37:4 Hebrew them} when his voice is heard.
5  God thunders wondrously with his voice;
    he does great things that we cannot comprehend.
6  For to the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth,’
    likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour.
7  He seals up the hand of every man,
    that all men whom he made may know it.
8  Then the beasts go into their lairs,
    and remain in their dens.
9  From its chamber comes the whirlwind,
    and cold from the scattering winds.
10  By the breath of God ice is given,
    and the broad waters are frozen fast.
11  He loads the thick cloud with moisture;
    the clouds scatter his lightning.
12  They turn around and around by his guidance,
    to accomplish all that he commands them
    on the face of the habitable world.
13  Whether for correction or for his land
    or for love, he causes it to happen.

14  Hear this, O Job;
    stop and consider the wondrous works of God.
15  Do you know how God lays his command upon them
    and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?
16  Do you know the balancings ^{8 37:16 Or hoverings} of the clouds,
    the wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge,
17  you whose garments are hot
    when the earth is still because of the south wind?
18  Can you, like him, spread out the skies,
    hard as a cast metal mirror?
19  Teach us what we shall say to him;
    we cannot draw up our case because of darkness.
20  Shall it be told him that I would speak?
    Did a man ever wish that he would be swallowed up?

21  And now no one looks on the light
    when it is bright in the skies,
    when the wind has passed and cleared them.
22  Out of the north comes golden splendor;
    God is clothed with awesome majesty.
23  The Almighty—we cannot find him;
    he is great in power;
    justice and abundant righteousness he will not violate.
24  Therefore men fear him;
    he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit.” ^{9 37:24 Hebrew in heart}