Job 35-37

35¹ Then Elihu said: ² "Do you think it is right for you to claim, 'I am righteous before God'? ³ For you also ask, 'What's in it for me? What's the use of living a righteous life?' ⁴ "I will answer you and all your friends, too. ⁵ Look up into the sky, and see the clouds high above you. ⁶ If you sin, how does that affect God? Even if you sin again and again, what effect will it have on him? ⁷ If you are good, is this some great gift to him? What could you possibly give him? ⁸ No, your sins affect only people like yourself, and your good deeds also affect only humans.

⁹ "People cry out when they are oppressed. They groan beneath the power of the mighty. ¹⁰ Yet they don't ask, 'Where is God my Creator, the one who gives songs in the night? ¹¹ Where is the one who makes us smarter than the animals and wiser than the birds of the sky?' ¹² And when they cry out, God does not answer because of their pride. ¹³ But it is wrong to say God doesn't listen, to say the Almighty isn't concerned.

¹⁴ You say you can't see him, but he will bring justice if you will only wait. ¹⁵ You say he does not respond to sinners with anger and is not greatly concerned about wickedness. ¹⁶ But you are talking nonsense, Job. You have spoken like a fool."

Elihu Extols God's Greatness

36¹ Elihu continued speaking: ² "Let me go on, and I will show you the truth. For I have not finished defending God! ³ I will present profound arguments for the righteousness of my Creator. ⁴ I am telling you nothing but the truth, for I am a man of great knowledge.

⁵ "God is mighty, but he does not despise anyone! He is mighty in both power and understanding. ⁶ He does not let the wicked live but gives justice to the afflicted. ⁷ He never takes his eyes off the innocent, but he sets them on thrones with kings and exalts them forever. ⁸ If they are bound in chains and caught up in a web of trouble, ⁹ he shows them the reason. He shows them their sins of pride. ¹⁰ He gets their attention and commands that they turn from evil. ¹¹ "If they listen and obey God, they will be blessed with prosperity throughout their lives. All their years will be pleasant. ¹² But if they refuse to listen to him, they will cross over the river of death, dying from lack of understanding. ¹³ For the godless are full of resentment. Even when he punishes them, they refuse to cry out to him for help. ¹⁴ They die when they are young, after wasting their lives in immoral living.

¹⁵ But by means of their suffering, he rescues those who suffer. For he gets their attention through adversity. ¹⁶ "God is leading you away from danger, Job, to a place free from distress. He is setting your table with the best food. ¹⁷ But you are obsessed with whether the godless will be judged. Don't worry, judgment and justice will be upheld. ¹⁸ But watch out, or you may be seduced by wealth. Don't let yourself be bribed into sin. ¹⁹ Could all your wealth or all your mighty efforts keep you from distress? ²⁰ Do not long for the cover of night, for that is when people will be destroyed. ²¹ Be on guard! Turn back from evil, for God sent this suffering to keep you from a life of evil. ²² "Look, God is all-powerful. Who is a teacher like him? ²³ No one can tell him what to do, or say to him, 'You have done wrong.'

²⁴ Instead, glorify his mighty works, singing songs of praise. ²⁵ Everyone has seen these things, though only from a distance. ²⁶ "Look, God is greater than we can understand. His years cannot be counted. ²⁷ He draws up the water vapor and then distills it into rain. ²⁸ The rain pours down from the clouds, and everyone benefits. ²⁹ Who can understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunder that rolls forth from heaven? ³⁰ See how he spreads the lightning around him and how it lights up the depths of the sea. ³¹ By these mighty acts he nourishes the people, giving them food in abundance. ³² He fills his hands with lightning bolts and hurls each at its target. ³³ The thunder announces his presence; the storm announces his indignant anger.

37¹ "My heart pounds as I think of this. It trembles within me. ² Listen carefully to the thunder of God's voice as it rolls from his mouth. ³ It rolls across the heavens, and his lightning flashes in every direction. ⁴ Then comes the roaring of the thunder- the tremendous voice of his majesty. He does not restrain it when he speaks. ⁵ God's voice is glorious in the thunder. We can't even imagine the greatness of his power.

⁶ "He directs the snow to fall on the earth and tells the rain to pour down. ⁷ Then everyone stops working so they can watch his power. ⁸ The wild animals take cover and stay inside their dens. ⁹ The stormy wind comes from its chamber, and the driving winds bring the cold. ¹⁰ God's breath sends the ice, freezing wide expanses of water. ¹¹ He loads the clouds with moisture, and they flash with his lightning. ¹² The clouds churn about at his direction. They do whatever he commands throughout the earth. ¹³ He makes these things happen either to punish people or to show his unfailing love.

¹⁴ "Pay attention to this, Job. Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God! ¹⁵ Do you know how God controls the storm and causes the lightning to flash from his clouds? ¹⁶ Do you understand how he moves the clouds with wonderful perfection and skill? ¹⁷ When you are sweltering in your clothes and the south wind dies down and everything is still, ¹⁸ he makes the skies reflect the heat like a bronze mirror. Can you do that? ¹⁹ "So teach the rest of us what to say to God. We are too ignorant to make our own arguments. ²⁰ Should God be notified that I want to speak? Can people even speak when they are confused?

²¹ We cannot look at the sun, for it shines brightly in the sky when the wind clears away the clouds. ²² So also, golden splendor comes from the mountain of God. He is clothed in dazzling splendor. ²³ We cannot imagine the power of the Almighty; but even though he is just and righteous, he does not destroy us. ²⁴ No wonder people everywhere fear him. All who are wise show him reverence. "