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Job 35-37
American Standard Version

35 Moreover Elihu answered and said,

2 Thinkest thou this to be thy right,
Or sayest thou, My righteousness is more than God’s,
3 That thou sayest, What advantage will it be unto thee?
And, What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?
4 I will answer thee,
And thy companions with thee.
5 Look unto the heavens, and see;
And behold the skies, which are higher than thou.
6 If thou hast sinned, what effectest thou against him?
And if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?
7 If thou be righteous, what givest thou him?
Or what receiveth he of thy hand?
8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art;
And thy righteousness may profit a son of man.

9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out;
They cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.
10 But none saith, Where is God my Maker,
Who giveth songs in the night,
11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth,
And maketh us wiser than the birds of the heavens?
12 There they cry, [a]but none giveth answer,
Because of the pride of evil men.
13 Surely God will not hear an empty cry,
Neither will the Almighty regard it.
14 How much less when thou sayest [b]thou beholdest him not,
The cause is before him, and thou waitest for him!
15 But now, because he hath not visited in his anger,
[c]Neither doth he greatly regard arrogance;
16 Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vanity;
He multiplieth words without knowledge.

36 Elihu also proceeded, and said,

2 [d]Suffer me a little, and I will show thee;
For [e]I have yet somewhat to say on God’s behalf.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar,
And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words are not false:
One that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any:
He is mighty in strength of [f]understanding.
6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked,
But giveth to the afflicted their right.
7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous:
But with kings upon the throne
He setteth them for ever, and they are exalted.
8 And if they be bound in fetters,
And be taken in the cords of affliction;
9 Then he showeth them their work,
And their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
10 He openeth also their ear to instruction,
And commandeth that they return from iniquity.
11 If they hearken and serve him,
They shall spend their days in prosperity,
And their years in [g]pleasures.
12 But if they hearken not, they shall perish by [h]the sword,
And they shall die without knowledge.
13 But they that are godless in heart lay up anger:
They cry not for help when he bindeth them.
14 [i]They die in youth,
And their life perisheth [j]among the [k]unclean.
15 He delivereth the afflicted [l]by their affliction,
And openeth their ear [m]in oppression.
16 Yea, he would have allured thee [n]out of distress
Into a broad place, where there is no straitness;
And that which is set on thy table would be full of fatness.

17 But thou [o]art full of the judgment of the wicked:
Judgment and justice take hold on thee.

18 [p]For let not wrath stir thee up against chastisements;
Neither let the greatness of the ransom turn thee aside.
19 Will thy cry avail, that thou be not in distress,
Or all the forces of thy strength?
20 Desire not the night,
When peoples [q]are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, regard not iniquity:
For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God doeth loftily in his power:
Who is a teacher like unto him?
23 Who hath enjoined him his way?
Or who can say, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?

24 Remember that thou magnify his work,
Whereof men have sung.

25 All men have looked thereon;
Man beholdeth it afar off.
26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not;
The number of his years is unsearchable.
27 For he draweth up the drops of water,
Which distil in rain [r]from [s]his vapor,
28 Which the skies pour down
And drop upon man abundantly.
29 Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds,
The thunderings of his pavilion?
30 Behold, he spreadeth his light [t]around him;
And he [u]covereth the bottom of the sea.
31 For by these he judgeth the peoples;
He giveth food in abundance.
32 He covereth his hands with the [v]lightning,
And giveth it a charge [w]that it strike the mark.
33 The noise thereof telleth concerning [x]him,
The cattle also concerning [y]the storm that cometh up.

37 Yea, at this my heart trembleth,
And is moved out of its place.
2 Hear, oh, hear the noise of his voice,
And the [z]sound that goeth out of his mouth.
3 He sendeth it forth under the whole heaven,
And his [aa]lightning unto the [ab]ends of the earth.
4 After it a voice roareth;
He thundereth with the voice of his majesty;
And he restraineth not [ac]the lightnings when his voice is heard.
5 God thundereth marvellously with his voice;
Great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.
6 For he saith to the snow, Fall thou on the earth;
Likewise to the shower of rain,
And to the showers of his mighty rain.
7 He sealeth up the hand of every man,
That all men whom he hath made may know it.
8 Then the beasts go into coverts,
And remain in their dens.
9 Out of the chamber of the south cometh the storm,
And cold out of the [ad]north.
10 By the breath of God ice is given;
And the breadth of the waters is [ae]straitened.
11 Yea, he ladeth the thick cloud with moisture;
He spreadeth abroad the cloud of his [af]lightning:
12 And it is turned round about by his guidance,
That they may do whatsoever he commandeth them
Upon the face of the habitable world,
13 Whether it be for correction, or for his [ag]land,
Or for lovingkindness, that he cause it to come.

14 Hearken unto this, O Job:
Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.
15 Dost thou know how God layeth his charge upon them,
And causeth the [ah]lightning of his cloud to shine?
16 Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds,
The wondrous works of him who is perfect in knowledge?
17 [ai]How thy garments are warm,
[aj]When the earth is still by reason of the south wind?
18 Canst thou with him spread out the sky,
Which is strong as a molten mirror?
19 Teach us what we shall say unto him;
For we cannot set our speech in order by reason of darkness.
20 Shall it be told him that I would speak?
[ak]Or should a man wish that he were swallowed up?

21 And now men [al]see not the light which is bright in the skies;
But the wind passeth, and cleareth them.
22 Out of the north cometh [am]golden splendor:
God hath upon him terrible majesty.
23 Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out:
He is excellent in power;
And [an]in justice and plenteous righteousness he will not afflict.
24 Men do therefore fear him:
He regardeth not any that are wise of heart.

Footnotes

  1. Job 35:12 Or, but he answereth not
  2. Job 35:14 Or, thou beholdest him not! The cause is before him; therefore wait thou for him
  3. Job 35:15 Or, Thou sayest, He doth not greatly regard arrogance. Thus doth etc.
  4. Job 36:2 Hebrew Wait for.
  5. Job 36:2 Hebrew there are yet words for God.
  6. Job 36:5 Hebrew heart.
  7. Job 36:11 Or, pleasantness
  8. Job 36:12 Or, weapons
  9. Job 36:14 Hebrew Their soul dieth.
  10. Job 36:14 Or, like
  11. Job 36:14 Or, sodomites. See Dt. 23:17.
  12. Job 36:15 Or, in
  13. Job 36:15 Or, by adversity
  14. Job 36:16 Hebrew out of the mouth of.
  15. Job 36:17 Or, hast filled up
  16. Job 36:18 Or, Because there is wrath, beware lest thou be led away by thy sufficiency
  17. Job 36:20 Hebrew go up.
  18. Job 36:27 Hebrew belonging to.
  19. Job 36:27 Or, the vapor thereof
  20. Job 36:30 Or, thereon
  21. Job 36:30 Or, covereth it with the depths of the sea
  22. Job 36:32 Hebrew light.
  23. Job 36:32 Or, against the assailant
  24. Job 36:33 Or, it
  25. Job 36:33 Or, him
  26. Job 37:2 Or, muttering
  27. Job 37:3 Hebrew light.
  28. Job 37:3 Hebrew skirts.
  29. Job 37:4 Hebrew them.
  30. Job 37:9 Hebrew scattering winds.
  31. Job 37:10 Or, congealed
  32. Job 37:11 Hebrew light.
  33. Job 37:13 Or, earth
  34. Job 37:15 Hebrew light.
  35. Job 37:17 Or, Thou whose garments are etc.
  36. Job 37:17 Or, When he quieteth the earth by the south wind
  37. Job 37:20 Or, If a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up
  38. Job 37:21 Or, cannot look on the light when it is bright in the skies, When the wind hath passed, and cleared them
  39. Job 37:22 Hebrew gold.
  40. Job 37:23 Or, to justice . . . he doeth no violence
Listen to Job 35-37
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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

  1. Job 35:3 Or you
  2. Job 35:11 Or night, / 11 who teaches us by
  3. Job 35:11 Or us wise by
  4. Job 35:15 Symmachus, Theodotion and Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  5. Job 36:12 Or will cross the river
  6. Job 36:20 The meaning of the Hebrew for verses 18-20 is uncertain.
  7. Job 36:27 Or distill from the mist as rain
  8. Job 36:31 Or nourishes
  9. Job 36:33 Or announces his coming— / the One zealous against evil
  10. Job 37:7 Or work, / he fills all people with fear by his power
  11. Job 37:24 Or for he does not have regard for any who think they are wise.
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Job 34
Job 38
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