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Elihu Keeps On Talking

35 Then Elihu said, “Do you think this is right? Do you say, ‘I am more right than God’? For you ask, ‘What will You get by it? How will it be better for me than if I had sinned?’ I will answer you, and your friends with you. Look at the heavens and see. See the clouds which are higher than you. If you have sinned, what does that do to God? If you have done many wrongs, what does that do to Him? If you are right and good, what do you give to Him? What does He receive from you? Your wrong-doing may hurt another man and your being right and good may help him.

“People cry out because of their many hard times. They cry for help because of the arm of the powerful. 10 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, Who gives songs in the night, 11 Who teaches us more than the animals 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 sinful men. 13 For sure God will not listen to an empty cry. The All-powerful will not do anything about it. 14 How much less when you say you do not see Him, that your trial is before Him, and you must wait for Him! 15 And now, because God has not punished in His anger, and does not watch for sin, 16 Job opens his mouth with empty talk. He speaks many words without much learning.”

Elihu Keeps On Speaking

36 Then Elihu spoke more and said, “Wait for me a little longer, and I will show you that there is yet more to be said for God. I bring my learning from far away, and will tell how right and good my Maker is. For sure my words are not false. One who is perfect in much learning is with you.

“See, God is powerful, but does not hate anyone. He is powerful in strength of understanding. He does not keep the sinful alive, but gives what is right and fair to those who are troubled. He does not turn His eyes away from those who are right with Him. He puts them on the throne with kings and they are honored forever. If they are tied up in chains and caught in the ropes of trouble, then He makes known to them their work and their sins, that they have shown pride. 10 He makes them listen to teaching, and tells them to turn away from sin. 11 If they hear and serve Him, the rest of their days will be filled with what they need and their years with peace. 12 But if they do not hear, they will die by the sword. They will die without learning.

13 “But those who do not know God keep anger in their heart. They do not cry for help when He puts them in chains. 14 They die when they are young. And their life ends among those who sell the use of their bodies in the houses of the false gods. 15 He takes those who suffer out of their suffering. He speaks to them in times of trouble. 16 He led you from being close to trouble to a wide place where you were free with your table full of food.

17 “But you wanted to punish the sinful. Punishment and being fair have taken hold of you. 18 Be careful or anger will tempt you to laugh at the truth. Do not take pay in secret for wrong-doing and be turned aside. 19 Will your riches or all your power keep you from trouble? 20 Do not desire the night, when people are taken from their place. 21 Be careful, do not turn to sin. For you have chosen this instead of suffering. 22 See, God is honored in His power. Who is a teacher like Him? 23 Who has told Him the way He should go? And who has said, ‘You have done wrong’?

24 “Remember that you should honor His work, of which men have sung. 25 All men have seen it. Man sees it from far away. 26 See, God is honored, and we do not know Him. We are not able to know the number of His years. 27 For He takes up the drops of water that become rain, 28 which the clouds pour down. Much rain falls on man. 29 Can anyone understand how the clouds are spread out, or how He thunders from His tent? 30 See, He spreads His lightning around Him and covers the bottom of the sea. 31 For by these He judges the people and He gives much food. 32 He covers His hands with the lightning, and tells it to hit the mark. 33 His thunder tells of a storm coming, and cattle also know it is coming.