Job 34:1–38:41

34 Then Elihu said:

2 “Hear my words, you wise men;

listen to me,n you men of learning.

3 For the ear tests words

as the tongue tastes food.o

4 Let us discern for ourselves what is right;p

let us learn together what is good.q

5 “Job says, ‘I am innocent,r

but God denies me justice.s

6 Although I am right,

I am considered a liar;t

although I am guiltless,u

his arrow inflicts an incurable wound.’v

7 Is there anyone like Job,

who drinks scorn like water?w

8 He keeps company with evildoers;

he associates with the wicked.x

9 For he says, ‘There is no profit

in trying to please God.’y

10 “So listen to me,z you men of understanding.a

Far be it from God to do evil,b

from the Almighty to do wrong.c

11 He repays everyone for what they have done;d

he brings on them what their conduct deserves.e

12 It is unthinkable that God would do wrong,f

that the Almighty would pervert justice.g

13 Who appointedh him over the earth?

Who put him in charge of the whole world?i

14 If it were his intention

and he withdrew his spirita j and breath,k

15 all humanity would perishl together

and mankind would return to the dust.m

16 “If you have understanding,n hear this;

listen to what I say.o

17 Can someone who hates justice govern?p

Will you condemn the just and mighty One?q

18 Is he not the One who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’

and to nobles,r ‘You are wicked,’s

19 who shows no partialityt to princes

and does not favor the rich over the poor,u

for they are all the work of his hands?v

20 They die in an instant, in the middle of the night;w

the people are shaken and they pass away;

the mighty are removed without human hand.x

21 “His eyes are on the ways of mortals;y

he sees their every step.z

22 There is no deep shadow,a no utter darkness,b

where evildoers can hide.c

23 God has no need to examine people further,d

that they should come before him for judgment.e

24 Without inquiry he shattersf the mightyg

and sets up others in their place.h

25 Because he takes note of their deeds,i

he overthrows them in the nightj and they are crushed.k

26 He punishes them for their wickednessl

where everyone can see them,

27 because they turned from following himm

and had no regard for any of his ways.n

28 They caused the cry of the poor to come before him,

so that he heard the cry of the needy.o

29 But if he remains silent,p who can condemn him?q

If he hides his face,r who can see him?

Yet he is over individual and nation alike,s

30 to keep the godlesst from ruling,u

from laying snares for the people.v

31 “Suppose someone says to God,

‘I am guiltyw but will offend no more.

32 Teach me what I cannot see;x

if I have done wrong, I will not do so again.’y

33 Should God then reward you on your terms,

when you refuse to repent?z

You must decide, not I;

so tell me what you know.

34 “Men of understanding declare,

wise men who hear me say to me,

35 ‘Job speaks without knowledge;a

his words lack insight.’b

36 Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost

for answering like a wicked man!c

37 To his sin he adds rebellion;

scornfully he claps his handsd among us

and multiplies his wordse against God.”f

35 Then Elihu said:

2 “Do you think this is just?

You say, ‘I am in the right,g not God.’h

3 Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me,a

and what do I gain by not sinning?’i

4 “I would like to reply to you

and to your friends with you.

5 Look up at the heavensj and see;

gaze at the clouds so high above you.k

6 If you sin, how does that affect him?

If your sins are many, what does that do to him?l

7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him,m

or what does he receiven from your hand?o

8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself,p

and your righteousness only other people.q

9 “People cry outr under a load of oppression;s

they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.t

10 But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,u

who gives songsv in the night,w

11 who teachesx usy more than he teachesb the beasts of the earth

and makes us wiser thanc the birds in the sky?’

12 He does not answerz when people cry out

because of the arrogancea of the wicked.b

13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;

the Almighty pays no attention to it.c

14 How much less, then, will he listen

when you say that you do not see him,d

that your casee is before him

and you must wait for him,f

15 and further, that his anger never punishesg

and he does not take the least notice of wickedness.d h

16 So Job opens his mouth with empty talk;i

without knowledge he multiplies words.”j

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;k

I will ascribe justice to my Maker.l

4 Be assured that my words are not false;m

one who has perfect knowledgen is with you.o

5 “God is mighty,p but despises no one;q

he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.r

6 He does not keep the wicked alives

but gives the afflicted their rights.t

7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous;u

he enthrones them with kingsv

and exalts them forever.w

8 But if people are bound in chains,x

held fast by cords of affliction,y

9 he tells them what they have done—

that they have sinned arrogantly.z

10 He makes them listena to correctionb

and commands them to repent of their evil.c

11 If they obey and serve him,d

they will spend the rest of their days in prosperitye

and their years in contentment.f

12 But if they do not listen,

they will perish by the sworda g

and die without knowledge.h

13 “The godless in hearti harbor resentment;j

even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.k

14 They die in their youth,l

among male prostitutes of the shrines.m

15 But those who suffern he delivers in their suffering;o

he speaksp to them in their affliction.q

16 “He is wooingr you from the jaws of distress

to a spacious places free from restriction,t

to the comfort of your tableu laden with choice food.v

17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;w

judgment and justice have taken hold of you.x

18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches;

do not let a large bribey turn you aside.z

19 Would your wealtha or even all your mighty efforts

sustain you so you would not be in distress?

20 Do not long for the night,b

to drag people away from their homes.b

21 Beware of turning to evil,c

which you seem to prefer to affliction.d

22 “God is exalted in his power.e

Who is a teacher like him?f

23 Who has prescribed his waysg for him,h

or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?i

24 Remember to extol his work,j

which people have praised in song.k

25 All humanity has seen it;l

mortals gaze on it from afar.

26 How great is God—beyond our understanding!m

The number of his years is past finding out.n

27 “He draws up the drops of water,o

which distill as rain to the streamsc;p

28 the clouds pour down their moisture

and abundant showersq fall on mankind.r

29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,

how he thunderss from his pavilion?t

30 See how he scatters his lightningu about him,

bathing the depths of the sea.v

31 This is the way he governsd the nationsw

and provides foodx in abundance.y

32 He fills his hands with lightning

and commands it to strike its mark.z

33 His thunder announces the coming storm;a

even the cattle make known its approach.e b

37 “At this my heart poundsc

and leaps from its place.

2 Listen!d Listen to the roar of his voice,e

to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.f

3 He unleashes his lightningg beneath the whole heaven

and sends it to the ends of the earth.h

4 After that comes the sound of his roar;

he thundersi with his majestic voice.j

When his voice resounds,

he holds nothing back.

5 God’s voice thundersk in marvelous ways;l

he does great things beyond our understanding.m

6 He says to the snow,n ‘Fall on the earth,’

and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’o

7 So that everyone he has made may know his work,p

he stops all people from their labor.a q

8 The animals take cover;r

they remain in their dens.s

9 The tempest comes out from its chamber,t

the cold from the driving winds.u

10 The breath of God produces ice,

and the broad waters become frozen.v

11 He loads the clouds with moisture;w

he scatters his lightningx through them.y

12 At his direction they swirl around

over the face of the whole earth

to do whatever he commands them.z

13 He brings the clouds to punish people,a

or to water his earth and show his love.b

14 “Listenc to this, Job;

stop and consider God’s wonders.d

15 Do you know how God controls the clouds

and makes his lightninge flash?f

16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,g

those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?h

17 You who swelter in your clothes

when the land lies hushed under the south wind,i

18 can you join him in spreading out the skies,j

hard as a mirror of cast bronze?k

19 “Tell us what we should say to him;l

we cannot draw up our casem because of our darkness.n

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,o

bright as it is in the skies

after the wind has swept them clean.

22 Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;p

God comes in awesome majesty.q

23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;r

in his justices and great righteousness, he does not oppress.t

24 Therefore, people revere him,u

for does he not have regard for all the wisev in heart?b”

The Lord Speaks

38 Then the Lord spoke to Jobw out of the storm.x He said:

2 “Who is this that obscures my plansy

with words without knowledge?z

3 Brace yourself like a man;

I will question you,

and you shall answer me.a

4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?b

Tell me, if you understand.c

5 Who marked off its dimensions?d Surely you know!

Who stretched a measuring linee across it?

6 On what were its footings set,f

or who laid its cornerstoneg—

7 while the morning starsh sang togetheri

and all the angelsa j shouted for joy?k

8 “Who shut up the sea behind doorsl

when it burst forth from the womb,m

9 when I made the clouds its garment

and wrapped …