Day 13 - Job 35-37

Job 35

 1 Then Elihu said:
 2 "Do you think this is just?
       You say, 'I will be cleared by God. ^[a] '
 3 Yet you ask him, 'What profit is it to me, ^[b]
       and what do I gain by not sinning?'
 4 "I would like to reply to you
       and to your friends with you.
 5 Look up at the heavens and see;
       gaze at the clouds so high above you.
 6 If you sin, how does that affect him?
       If your sins are many, what does that do to him?
 7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him,
       or what does he receive from your hand?
 8 Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself,
       and your righteousness only the sons of men.
 9 "Men cry out under a load of oppression;
       they plead for relief from the arm of the powerful.
 10 But no one says, 'Where is God my Maker,
       who gives songs in the night,
 11 who teaches more to us than to ^[c] the beasts of the earth
       and makes us wiser than ^[d] the birds of the air?'
 12 He does not answer when men cry out
       because of the arrogance of the wicked.
 13 Indeed, God does not listen to their empty plea;
       the Almighty pays no attention to it.
 14 How much less, then, will he listen
       when you say that you do not see him,
       that your case is before him
       and you must wait for him,
 15 and further, that his anger never punishes
       and he does not take the least notice of wickedness. ^[e]
 16 So Job opens his mouth with empty talk;
       without knowledge he multiplies words."

Job 36

 1 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;
       I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
 4 Be assured that my words are not false;
       one perfect in knowledge is with you.
 5 "God is mighty, but does not despise men;
       he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.
 6 He does not keep the wicked alive
       but gives the afflicted their rights.
 7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous;
       he enthrones them with kings
       and exalts them forever.
 8 But if men are bound in chains,
       held fast by cords of affliction,
 9 he tells them what they have done—
       that they have sinned arrogantly.
 10 He makes them listen to correction
       and commands them to repent of their evil.
 11 If they obey and serve him,
       they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity
       and their years in contentment.
 12 But if they do not listen,
       they will perish by the sword ^[f]
       and die without knowledge.
 13 "The godless in heart harbor resentment;
       even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.
 14 They die in their youth,
       among male prostitutes of the shrines.
 15 But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering;
       he speaks to them in their affliction.
 16 "He is wooing you from the jaws of distress
       to a spacious place free from restriction,
       to the comfort of your table laden with choice food.
 17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;
       judgment and justice have taken hold of you.
 18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches;
       do not let a large bribe turn you aside.
 19 Would your wealth
       or even all your mighty efforts
       sustain you so you would not be in distress?
 20 Do not long for the night,
       to drag people away from their homes. ^[g]
 21 Beware of turning to evil,
       which you seem to prefer to affliction.
 22 "God is exalted in his power.
       Who is a teacher like him?
 23 Who has prescribed his ways for him,
       or said to him, 'You have done wrong'?
 24 Remember to extol his work,
       which men have praised in song.
 25 All mankind has seen it;
       men gaze on it from afar.
 26 How great is God—beyond our understanding!
       The number of his years is past finding out.
 27 "He draws up the drops of water,
       which distill as rain to the streams ^[h] ;
 28 the clouds pour down their moisture
       and abundant showers fall on mankind.
 29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
       how he thunders from his pavilion?
 30 See how he scatters his lightning about him,
       bathing the depths of the sea.
 31 This is the way he governs ^[i] the nations
       and provides food in abundance.
 32 He fills his hands with lightning
       and commands it to strike its mark.
 33 His thunder announces the coming storm;
       even the cattle make known its approach. ^[j]

Job 37

 1 "At this my heart pounds
       and leaps from its place.
 2 Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice,
       to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
 3 He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven
       and sends it to the ends of the earth.
 4 After that comes the sound of his roar;
       he thunders with his majestic voice.
       When his voice resounds,
       he holds nothing back.
 5 God's voice thunders in marvelous ways;
       he does great things beyond our understanding.
 6 He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,'
       and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.'
 7 So that all men he has made may know his work,
       he stops every man from his labor. ^[k]
 8 The animals take cover;
       they remain in their dens.
 9 The tempest comes out from its chamber,
       the cold from the driving winds.
 10 The breath of God produces ice,
       and the broad waters become frozen.
 11 He loads the clouds with moisture;
       he scatters his lightning through them.
 12 At his direction they swirl around
       over the face of the whole earth
       to do whatever he commands them.
 13 He brings the clouds to punish men,
       or to water his earth ^[l] and show his love.
 14 "Listen to this, Job;
       stop and consider God's wonders.
 15 Do you know how God controls the clouds
       and makes his lightning flash?
 16 Do you know how the clouds hang poised,
       those wonders of him who is perfect in knowledge?
 17 You who swelter in your clothes
       when the land lies hushed under the south wind,
 18 can you join him in spreading out the skies,
       hard as a mirror of cast bronze?
 19 "Tell us what we should say to him;
       we cannot draw up our case because of our darkness.
 20 Should he be told that I want to speak?
       Would any man ask to be swallowed up?
 21 Now no one can look at the sun,
       bright as it is in the skies
       after the wind has swept them clean.
 22 Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;
       God comes in awesome majesty.
 23 The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;
       in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.
 24 Therefore, men revere him,
       for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart? ^[m] "
Footnotes:

1. Job 35:2 Or My righteousness is more than God's
2. Job 35:3 Or you
3. Job 35:11 Or teaches us by
4. Job 35:11 Or us wise by
5. Job 35:15 Symmachus, Theodotion and Vulgate; the meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
6. Job 36:12 Or will cross the River
7. Job 36:20 The meaning of the Hebrew for verses 18-20 is uncertain.
8. Job 36:27 Or distill from the mist as rain
9. Job 36:31 Or nourishes
10. Job 36:33 Or announces his coming—/ the One zealous against evil
11. Job 37:7 Or / he fills all men with fear by his power
12. Job 37:13 Or to favor them
13. Job 37:24 Or for he does not have regard for any who think they are wise.