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13 Surely it is an empty cry[a]—God does not hear it;
the Almighty does not take notice of it.
14 How much less, then,
when you say that you do not perceive him,
that the case is before him
and you are waiting for him![b]
15 And further,[c] when you say
that his anger does not punish,[d]
and that he does not know transgression![e]

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Footnotes

  1. Job 35:13 tn Heb “surely—vanity, he does not hear.” The cry is an empty cry, not a prayer to God. Dhorme translates it, “It is a pure waste of words.”
  2. Job 35:14 sn The point is that if God does not listen to those who do not turn to him, how much less likely is he to turn to one who complains against him.
  3. Job 35:15 tn The expression “and now” introduces a new complaint of Elihu—in addition to the preceding. Here the verb of v. 14, “you say,” is understood after the temporal ki (כִּי).
  4. Job 35:15 tn The verb פָּקַד (paqad) means “to visit” (also “to appoint; to muster; to number”). When God visits, it means that he intervenes in one’s life for blessing or cursing (punishing, destroying).
  5. Job 35:15 tn The word פַּשׁ (pash) is a hapax legomenon. K&D 12:275 derived it from an Arabic word meaning “belch,” leading to the idea of “overflow.” BDB 832 s.v. defines it as “folly.” Several define it as “transgression” on the basis of the versions (Theodotion, Symmachus, Vulgate). The RSV took it as “greatly heed,” but that is not exactly “greatly know,” when the text beyond that requires “not know at all.” The NIV has “he does not take the least notice of wickedness.”

13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;
    the Almighty pays no attention to it.(A)
14 How much less, then, will he listen
    when you say that you do not see him,(B)
that your case(C) is before him
    and you must wait for him,(D)
15 and further, that his anger never punishes(E)
    and he does not take the least notice of wickedness.[a](F)

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Footnotes

  1. Job 35:15 Symmachus, Theodotion and Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

14 Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.

15 But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:

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13 (A)Surely God will not listen to empty talk,
Nor will the Almighty regard it.
14 (B)Although you say you do not see Him,
Yet justice is before Him, and (C)you must wait for Him.
15 And now, because He has not (D)punished in His anger,
Nor taken much notice of folly,

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