Historical
Chapter 35
1 [a]Then Elihu answered and said:
2 Do you think it right to say,
“I am in the right, not God”?(A)
3 When you ask what it profits you,
“What advantage do I have from not sinning?”(B)
4 I have words for a reply to you[b]
and your friends as well.
5 Look up to the skies and see;
behold the heavens high above you.
6 If you sin, what do you do to God?
Even if your offenses are many, how do you affect him?
7 If you are righteous, what do you give him,
or what does he receive from your hand?(C)
8 Your wickedness affects only someone like yourself,
and your justice, only a fellow human being.
9 In great oppression people cry out;
they call for help because of the power of the great,
10 No one says, “Where is God, my Maker,
who gives songs in the night,
11 Teaches us more than the beasts of the earth,
and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?”
12 Though thus they cry out, he does not answer
because of the pride of the wicked.
13 But it is idle to say God does not hear
or that the Almighty does not take notice.
14 Even though you say, “You take no notice of it,”[c]
the case is before him; with trembling wait upon him.
15 But now that you have done otherwise, God’s anger punishes,
nor does he show much concern over a life.
16 Yet Job to no purpose opens his mouth,
multiplying words without knowledge.(D)
Chapter 36
1 Elihu continued and said:
2 Wait a little and I will instruct you,
for there are still words to be said for God.
3 I will assemble arguments from afar,
and for my maker I will establish what is right.
4 For indeed, my words are not a lie;
one perfect in knowledge is before you.
5 Look, God is great, not disdainful;
his strength of purpose is great.
He does not preserve the life of the wicked.
6 He establishes the right of the poor;(E)
he does not divert his eyes from the just
7 But he seats them upon thrones
with kings, exalted forever.(F)
8 If they are bound with fetters,
held fast by bonds of affliction,
9 He lets them know what they have done,
and how arrogant are their sins.
10 He opens their ears to correction
and tells them to turn back from evil.
11 If they listen and serve him,
they spend their days in prosperity,
their years in happiness.
12 But if they do not listen, they pass to the grave,
they perish for lack of knowledge.
13 The impious in heart lay up anger;
they do not cry for help when he binds them;
14 They will die young—
their life[d] among the reprobate.
15 But he saves the afflicted through their affliction,
and opens their ears through oppression.
16 [e]He entices you from distress,
to a broad place without constraint;
what rests on your table is rich food.
17 Though you are full of the judgment of the wicked,
judgment and justice will be maintained.
18 Let not anger at abundance entice you,
nor great bribery lead you astray.
19 Will your wealth equip you against distress,
or all your exertions of strength?
20 Do not long for the night,
when peoples vanish in their place.
21 Be careful; do not turn to evil;
for this you have preferred to affliction.
22 [f]Look, God is exalted in his power.
What teacher is there like him?
23 Who prescribes for him his way?
Who says, “You have done wrong”?(G)
24 Remember, you should extol his work,
which people have praised in song.
25 All humankind beholds it;
everyone views it from afar.
26 See, God is great beyond our knowledge,
the number of his years past searching out.
27 He holds in check the waterdrops
that filter in rain from his flood,
28 Till the clouds flow with them
and they rain down on all humankind.
29 [g]Can anyone understand the spreading clouds,
the thunderings from his tent?
30 Look, he spreads his light over it,
it covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by these he judges the nations,
and gives food in abundance.
32 In his hands he holds the lightning,
and he commands it to strike the mark.
33 His thunder announces him
and incites the fury of the storm.
Chapter 37
1 At this my heart trembles
and leaps out of its place.
2 Listen to his angry voice[h]
and the rumble that comes forth from his mouth!
3 Everywhere under the heavens he sends it,
with his light, to the ends of the earth.
4 Again his voice roars,
his majestic voice thunders;
he does not restrain them when his voice is heard.
5 God thunders forth marvels with his voice;
he does great things beyond our knowing.
6 He says to the snow, “Fall to the earth”;
likewise to his heavy, drenching rain.
7 He shuts up all humankind indoors,
so that all people may know his work.
8 The wild beasts take to cover
and remain quiet in their dens.
9 Out of its chamber the tempest comes forth;
from the north winds, the cold.
10 With his breath God brings the frost,
and the broad waters congeal.(H)
11 The clouds too are laden with moisture,
the storm-cloud scatters its light.
12 [i]He it is who changes their rounds, according to his plans,
to do all that he commands them
across the inhabited world.
13 Whether for punishment or mercy,
he makes it happen.
14 Listen to this, Job!
Stand and consider the marvels of God!
15 Do you know how God lays his command upon them,
and makes the light shine forth from his clouds?
16 Do you know how the clouds are banked,
the marvels of him who is perfect in knowledge?
17 You, who swelter in your clothes
when calm lies over the land from the south,
18 Can you with him spread out the firmament of the skies,
hard as a molten mirror?[j]
19 Teach us then what we shall say to him;
we cannot, for the darkness, make our plea.
20 Will he be told about it when I speak?
Can anyone talk when he is being destroyed?
21 Rather, it is as the light that cannot be seen
while it is obscured by the clouds,
till the wind comes by and sweeps them away.[k]
22 From Zaphon[l] the golden splendor comes,
surrounding God’s awesome majesty!
23 The Almighty! We cannot find him,
preeminent in power and judgment,
abundant in justice, who never oppresses.
24 Therefore people fear him;
none can see him, however wise their hearts.[m]
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.