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Job 35-37
New International Reader's Version
Job 35-37
New International Reader's Version
35 Elihu continued,
2 “Job, do you think it’s fair for you to say,
‘I am the one who is right, not God’?
3 You ask him, ‘What good is it for me not to sin?
What do I get by not sinning?’
4 “I’d like to reply to you
and to your friends who are with you.
5 Look up at the heavens.
Observe the clouds that are high above you.
6 If you sin, what does that mean to God?
If you sin many times, what does that do to him?
7 If you do what is right, how does that help him?
What does he get from you?
8 The evil things you do only hurt people like yourself.
The right things you do only help other human beings.
9 “People cry out when they are treated badly.
They beg to be set free from the power of those who are over them.
10 But no one says, ‘Where is the God who made me?
He gives us songs even during the night.
11 He teaches us more than he teaches the wild animals.
He makes us wiser than the birds in the sky.’
12 He doesn’t answer sinful people when they cry out to him.
That’s because they are so proud.
13 In fact, God doesn’t listen to their empty cries.
The Mighty One doesn’t pay any attention to them.
14 So he certainly won’t listen to you.
When you say you don’t see him, he won’t hear you.
He won’t listen when you state your case to him.
He won’t pay attention even if you wait for him.
15 When you say his anger never punishes sin, he won’t hear you.
He won’t listen when you say he doesn’t pay any attention to evil.
16 So you say things that don’t mean anything.
You use a lot of words,
but you don’t know what you are talking about.”
36 Elihu continued,
2 “Put up with me a little longer.
I’ll show you I can speak up for God even more.
3 I get my knowledge from far away.
I’ll announce that the God who made me is fair.
4 You can be sure that my words are true.
One who has perfect knowledge is talking to you.
5 “God is mighty, but he doesn’t hate people.
He’s mighty, and he knows exactly what he’s going to do.
6 He doesn’t keep alive those who are evil.
Instead, he gives suffering people their rights.
7 He watches over those who do what is right.
He puts them on thrones as if they were kings.
He honors them forever.
8 But some people are held by chains.
Their pain ties them up like ropes.
9 God tells them what they’ve done.
He tells them they’ve become proud and sinned against him.
10 He makes them listen when he corrects them.
He commands them to turn away
from the evil things they’ve done.
11 If they obey him and serve him,
they’ll enjoy a long and happy life.
Things will go well with them.
12 But if they don’t listen to him,
they’ll be killed by swords.
They’ll die because they didn’t want to know anything about him.
13 “Those whose hearts are ungodly are always angry.
Even when God puts them in chains,
they don’t cry out for help.
14 They die while they are still young.
They die among the male prostitutes at the temples.
15 But God saves suffering people while they suffer.
He speaks to them while they are hurting.
16 “Job, he wants to take you out of the jaws of trouble.
He wants to bring you to a wide and safe place.
He’d like to seat you at a table that is loaded with the best food.
17 But now you are loaded down
with the punishment sinners will receive.
You have been judged fairly.
18 Be careful that no one tempts you with riches.
Don’t take money from people who want special favors,
no matter how much it is.
19 Can your wealth keep you out of trouble?
Can all your mighty efforts keep you going?
20 Don’t wish for the night to come
so you can drag people away from their homes.
21 Be careful not to do what is evil.
You seem to like evil better than suffering!
22 “God is honored because he is so powerful.
There is no teacher equal to him.
23 Who has told him what he can do?
Who has said to him, ‘You have done what is wrong’?
24 Remember to thank him for what he’s done.
People have praised him with their songs.
25 Every human being has seen his work.
People can see it from far away.
26 How great God is! We’ll never completely understand him.
We’ll never find out how long he has lived.
27 “He makes mist rise from the water.
Then it falls as rain into the streams.
28 The clouds pour down their moisture.
Rain showers fall on people everywhere.
29 Who can understand how God spreads out the clouds?
Who can explain how he thunders from his home in heaven?
30 See how he scatters his lightning around him!
He lights up the deepest parts of the ocean.
31 The rain he sends makes things grow for the nations.
He provides them with plenty of food.
32 He holds lightning bolts in his hands.
He commands them to strike their marks.
33 His thunder announces that a storm is coming.
Even the cattle let us know it’s approaching.
37 “When I hear the thunder, my heart pounds.
It beats faster inside me.
2 Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice!
Listen to the thunder that comes from him!
3 He sends his lightning across the sky.
It reaches from one end of the earth to the other.
4 Next comes the sound of his roaring thunder.
He thunders with his majestic voice.
When his voice fills the air,
he doesn’t hold anything back.
5 God’s voice thunders in wonderful ways.
We’ll never understand the great things he does.
6 He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth.’
He tells the rain, ‘Pour down your mighty waters.’
7 He stops everyone from working.
He wants them to see his work.
8 The animals go inside.
They remain in their dens.
9 The storm comes out of its storeroom in the heavens.
The cold comes from the driving winds.
10 The breath of God produces ice.
The shallow water freezes over.
11 He loads the clouds with moisture.
He scatters his lightning through them.
12 He directs the clouds to circle
above the surface of the whole earth.
They do everything he commands them to do.
13 He tells the clouds to punish people.
Or he brings them to water his earth and show his love.
14 “Job, listen to me.
Stop and think about the wonderful things God does.
15 Do you know how he controls the clouds?
Do you understand how he makes his lightning flash?
16 Do you know how the clouds stay up in the sky?
Do you understand the wonders of the God who has perfect knowledge?
17 Even your clothes are too hot for you
when the land lies quiet under the south wind.
18 Can you help God spread out the skies?
They are as hard as a mirror
that’s made out of bronze.
19 “Job, tell us what we should say to God.
We can’t prepare our case
because our minds are dark.
20 Should he be told that I want to speak?
Would anyone ask to be destroyed by him?
21 No one can look at the sun.
It’s too bright after the wind has swept the skies clean.
22 Out of the north, God comes in his shining glory.
He comes in all his wonderful majesty.
23 We can’t reach up to the Mighty One.
He is lifted high because of his power.
Everything he does is fair and right.
So he doesn’t crush people.
24 That’s why they have respect for him.
He cares about all those who are wise.”
Job 35-37
New International Version
Job 35-37
New International Version
35 Then Elihu said:
2 “Do you think this is just?
You say, ‘I am in the right,(A) not God.’(B)
3 Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me,[a]
and what do I gain by not sinning?’(C)
4 “I would like to reply to you
and to your friends with you.
5 Look up at the heavens(D) and see;
gaze at the clouds so high above you.(E)
6 If you sin, how does that affect him?
If your sins are many, what does that do to him?(F)
7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him,(G)
or what does he receive(H) from your hand?(I)
8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself,(J)
and your righteousness only other people.(K)
9 “People cry out(L) under a load of oppression;(M)
they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.(N)
10 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,(O)
who gives songs(P) in the night,(Q)
11 who teaches(R) us(S) more than he teaches[b] the beasts of the earth
and makes us wiser than[c] the birds in the sky?’
12 He does not answer(T) when people cry out
because of the arrogance(U) of the wicked.(V)
13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;
the Almighty pays no attention to it.(W)
14 How much less, then, will he listen
when you say that you do not see him,(X)
that your case(Y) is before him
and you must wait for him,(Z)
15 and further, that his anger never punishes(AA)
and he does not take the least notice of wickedness.[d](AB)
16 So Job opens his mouth with empty talk;(AC)
without knowledge he multiplies words.”(AD)
36 Elihu continued:
2 “Bear with me a little longer and I will show you
that there is more to be said in God’s behalf.
3 I get my knowledge from afar;(AE)
I will ascribe justice to my Maker.(AF)
4 Be assured that my words are not false;(AG)
one who has perfect knowledge(AH) is with you.(AI)
5 “God is mighty,(AJ) but despises no one;(AK)
he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.(AL)
6 He does not keep the wicked alive(AM)
but gives the afflicted their rights.(AN)
7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous;(AO)
he enthrones them with kings(AP)
and exalts them forever.(AQ)
8 But if people are bound in chains,(AR)
held fast by cords of affliction,(AS)
9 he tells them what they have done—
that they have sinned arrogantly.(AT)
10 He makes them listen(AU) to correction(AV)
and commands them to repent of their evil.(AW)
11 If they obey and serve him,(AX)
they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity(AY)
and their years in contentment.(AZ)
12 But if they do not listen,
they will perish by the sword[e](BA)
and die without knowledge.(BB)
13 “The godless in heart(BC) harbor resentment;(BD)
even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.(BE)
14 They die in their youth,(BF)
among male prostitutes of the shrines.(BG)
15 But those who suffer(BH) he delivers in their suffering;(BI)
he speaks(BJ) to them in their affliction.(BK)
16 “He is wooing(BL) you from the jaws of distress
to a spacious place(BM) free from restriction,(BN)
to the comfort of your table(BO) laden with choice food.(BP)
17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;(BQ)
judgment and justice have taken hold of you.(BR)
18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches;
do not let a large bribe(BS) turn you aside.(BT)
19 Would your wealth(BU) or even all your mighty efforts
sustain you so you would not be in distress?
20 Do not long for the night,(BV)
to drag people away from their homes.[f]
21 Beware of turning to evil,(BW)
which you seem to prefer to affliction.(BX)
22 “God is exalted in his power.(BY)
Who is a teacher like him?(BZ)
23 Who has prescribed his ways(CA) for him,(CB)
or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?(CC)
24 Remember to extol his work,(CD)
which people have praised in song.(CE)
25 All humanity has seen it;(CF)
mortals gaze on it from afar.
26 How great is God—beyond our understanding!(CG)
The number of his years is past finding out.(CH)
27 “He draws up the drops of water,(CI)
which distill as rain to the streams[g];(CJ)
28 the clouds pour down their moisture
and abundant showers(CK) fall on mankind.(CL)
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
how he thunders(CM) from his pavilion?(CN)
30 See how he scatters his lightning(CO) about him,
bathing the depths of the sea.(CP)
31 This is the way he governs[h] the nations(CQ)
and provides food(CR) in abundance.(CS)
32 He fills his hands with lightning
and commands it to strike its mark.(CT)
33 His thunder announces the coming storm;(CU)
even the cattle make known its approach.[i](CV)
37 “At this my heart pounds(CW)
and leaps from its place.
2 Listen!(CX) Listen to the roar of his voice,(CY)
to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.(CZ)
3 He unleashes his lightning(DA) beneath the whole heaven
and sends it to the ends of the earth.(DB)
4 After that comes the sound of his roar;
he thunders(DC) with his majestic voice.(DD)
When his voice resounds,
he holds nothing back.
5 God’s voice thunders(DE) in marvelous ways;(DF)
he does great things beyond our understanding.(DG)
6 He says to the snow,(DH) ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’(DI)
7 So that everyone he has made may know his work,(DJ)
he stops all people from their labor.[j](DK)
8 The animals take cover;(DL)
they remain in their dens.(DM)
9 The tempest comes out from its chamber,(DN)
the cold from the driving winds.(DO)
10 The breath of God produces ice,
and the broad waters become frozen.(DP)
11 He loads the clouds with moisture;(DQ)
he scatters his lightning(DR) through them.(DS)
12 At his direction they swirl around
over the face of the whole earth
to do whatever he commands them.(DT)
13 He brings the clouds to punish people,(DU)
or to water his earth and show his love.(DV)
14 “Listen(DW) to this, Job;
stop and consider God’s wonders.(DX)
15 Do you know how God controls the clouds
and makes his lightning(DY) flash?(DZ)
16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,(EA)
those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?(EB)
17 You who swelter in your clothes
when the land lies hushed under the south wind,(EC)
18 can you join him in spreading out the skies,(ED)
hard as a mirror of cast bronze?(EE)
19 “Tell us what we should say to him;(EF)
we cannot draw up our case(EG) because of our darkness.(EH)
20 Should he be told that I want to speak?
Would anyone ask to be swallowed up?
21 Now no one can look at the sun,(EI)
bright as it is in the skies
after the wind has swept them clean.
22 Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;(EJ)
God comes in awesome majesty.(EK)
23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;(EL)
in his justice(EM) and great righteousness, he does not oppress.(EN)
24 Therefore, people revere him,(EO)
for does he not have regard for all the wise(EP) in heart?[k]”
Footnotes
- Job 35:3 Or you
- Job 35:11 Or night, / 11 who teaches us by
- Job 35:11 Or us wise by
- Job 35:15 Symmachus, Theodotion and Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Job 36:12 Or will cross the river
- Job 36:20 The meaning of the Hebrew for verses 18-20 is uncertain.
- Job 36:27 Or distill from the mist as rain
- Job 36:31 Or nourishes
- Job 36:33 Or announces his coming— / the One zealous against evil
- Job 37:7 Or work, / he fills all people with fear by his power
- Job 37:24 Or for he does not have regard for any who think they are wise.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV) 
Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.