Beginning
35 Then Elihu answered, saying:
2 “Do you think this is just?
Do you say,
‘My righteousness is greater than God’s?’
3 For you ask, ‘What will it profit you?’
and ‘What do I gain by not sinning?’
4 I will answer you,
and your friends with you.
5 Look up at the heavens and see;
consider the clouds so high above you.
6 If you sin, how does it affect Him?
If your transgressions are many, what do you do to Him?
7 If you are righteous, what do you give Him,
or what does He receive from your hand?[a]
8 Your wickedness is for a man like yourself,
and your righteousness for a son of man.
9 “Because of a multitude of oppressions, they cry out;
they cry for help because of the power of the mighty.
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,
who makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’
12 There they cry out, but He does not answer,
because of the pride of the wicked.
13 Indeed God does not hear an empty cry;
Shaddai pays no attention to it.
14 How much less when you say that you do not perceive Him
that the case is before Him and you must wait for Him.
15 And further, that His anger does not punish
and that He does not know transgression?
16 So Job opens his mouth with nonsense,
without knowledge he multiplies words.”
Elihu Magnifies the Almighty
36 Then Elihu said further:
2 “Be patient with me a bit longer and I will show you
that there is more to say on God’s behalf.
3 I get my knowledge from afar;
I ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly, my words are not false;
One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 “Indeed, God is mighty, but despises none,
He is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive,
but gives justice to the afflicted.
7 He does not take His eyes from the righteous,
but enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.
8 But if they are bound in chains,
and held captive by cords of affliction,
9 then He declares to them their deed
that they have transgressed arrogantly.
10 And He opens their ear to instruction,
and commands that they turn from evil.
11 If they obey and serve, they will end their days in prosperity,
and their years in happiness.
12 But if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword,
and die without knowledge.
13 “The godless in heart harbor anger,
they do not cry for help even when He binds them.
14 Their souls die in youth,
their life ends among cult prostitutes.
15 He delivers the afflicted by his affliction
and opens their ear in oppression.
16 “And indeed, He will draw you from the mouth of distress,
to a spacious place without constraint, and the comfort of a table full of rich food.
17 But you are full of judgment on the wicked,
judgment and justice take hold of you!
18 Beware lest wrath entice you with riches;
or a large bribe turn you aside.
19 Will your wealth sustain you to keep you from distress,
or even all your mighty efforts?
20 Do not long for the night,
when people vanish from their places.
21 Be careful, do not turn to iniquity;
for you have chosen this rather than affliction.
22 “Indeed, God is exalted in His power.
Who is a teacher like Him?
23 Who has prescribed His way for Him?
Or said ‘You have done wrong’?
24 Remember to magnify His work,
of which people have sung.
25 All mankind has seen it;
people gaze on it from afar.
26 Behold, God is exalted—beyond our knowledge!
The number of His years is unsearchable.
27 For He draws up the drops of water;
they distill rain into its mist,
28 which the clouds pour down
and shower mankind abundantly.
29 Indeed, who can understand the spreading of the clouds,
and the thunder from His pavilion?
30 “See how He scatters His lightning about Him,
covering the depths of the sea.
31 For by these, He judges peoples
and supplies food in abundance.
32 He covers His hands with lightning
and commands it to strike its target.
33 His thunder declares His presence,
the cattle also, about what is coming.
37 “At this my heart trembles
and leaps from its place.
2 Listen carefully to the roar of His voice,
the rumbling that comes from His mouth.
3 Under the whole heaven He lets it loose,
and His light to the ends of the earth.
4 After that a voice roars;
He thunders with His majestic voice.
He does not hold them back when His voice is heard.
5 God thunders wondrously with His voice;
He does great things beyond our comprehension.
6 “For to the snow He says, ‘Fall to the earth,’
and to the torrential rain—be a mighty downpour of rain.
7 He seals the hand of every man,
so that all men will know His work.
8 The animals go into their lairs;
they remain in their dens.
9 Out of its chamber comes the storm,
and icy cold from the driving wind.
10 From the breath of God frost is made,
and the watery expanse freezes.
11 He loads the cloud with moisture;
He scatters His cloud of lightning.
12 It swirls around by His guidance,
to do whatever He commands
on the face of the inhabited world.
13 Whether it is a rod of punishment
or for His land or for lovingkindness,
He causes it to happen.
14 “Listen to this, Job:
stand and consider God’s wonders.
15 Do you know how God orders them,
and makes the lightning flash in His cloud?
16 Do you know the balancing of clouds,
the wonders of Him who has perfect knowledge?
17 “You, whose clothes are hot,
when the earth is still, because of the south wind,
18 can you, with Him, stretch out the skies,
strong as a mirror of molten metal?
19 Teach us what to say to Him;
we cannot prepare a case because of the darkness.
20 Should He be informed that I want to speak?
If a man speaks, would he be swallowed up?
21 But now, they do not see the light,
bright as it is in the skies,
until the wind has passed
and cleared the clouds away.
22 Out of the north comes in golden splendor;
around God is awesome majesty.
23 Shaddai, we cannot find Him!
He is great in power and justice,
and abundant righteousness He does not oppress.
24 Therefore people fear Him;
He does not regard all the wise of heart.”
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.