1Elihu fortsatte:2„Job, er det rigtigt af dig at sige, at du har ret, og at Gud har uret?3Du spørger: ‚Hvad gavner det at leve retskaffent, hvis man alligevel skal lide? Hvorfor skal jeg straffes som en anden synder?’4Hør efter, så skal jeg give dig mit svar, og dine venner må også gerne lytte med.5Se på himlen højt over dit hoved, på skyerne, som overgår din forstand.6Selv om du synder nok så mange gange, mon der går skår af Guds almagt for det?7Tror du, det er Gud, du gør en tjeneste ved at leve et retskaffent liv?8Nej, når du synder, går det ud over dig selv, og når du gør noget godt, gavner det andre.9Folk himler op om voldshandlinger, råber om hjælp, når tyranner undertrykker dem.10Men ingen siger: ‚Hvor er Gud vores Skaber, han som får lovsang til at lyde i natten,11som har gjort os klogere end dyrene og visere end fuglene?’12Og hvis folk endelig råber til Gud om hjælp, svarer han dem ikke på grund af deres hovmod,13for Gud lytter ikke til de indbildskes ord, den Almægtige ænser dem ikke.14Forvent ikke, at Gud svarer, når du påstår, at han ikke er der, eller hvis du siger, at du har forelagt ham sagen, og nu er det hans tur til at komme med et udspil.15Forvent heller ikke svar, når du påstår, at han ikke straffer de skyldige, og at han er ligeglad med ondskaben i verden.16Job, det er grunden til, at Gud ikke svarer dig. Du bruger masser af ord, men mangler indsigt.”
1And Elihu answered and said:2“Do you think this to be just? Do you say, ‘It is my right before God,’ (Job 32,2)3that you ask, ‘What advantage have I? How am I better off than if I had sinned?’ (Job 34,9)4I will answer you and your friends with you. (Job 34,8; Job 34,36)5Look at the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds, which are higher than you. (Job 22,12)6If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him? (Ord 8,36; Jer 7,19)7If you are righteous, what do you give to him? Or what does he receive from your hand? (Job 22,2; Job 41,11; Ord 9,12; Luk 17,10; Rom 11,35)8Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself, and your righteousness a son of man. (Job 25,6)9“Because of the multitude of oppressions people cry out; they call for help because of the arm of the mighty.[1] (2.Mos 2,23; Job 22,8; Job 34,28; Amos 3,9)10But none says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, (5.Mos 32,6; Job 4,17; Salm 42,8; Salm 77,6; Salm 149,5; Ap G 16,25)11who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’ (Job 36,22; Salm 94,12; Es 28,26)12There they cry out, but he does not answer, because of the pride of evil men. (Job 27,9)13Surely God does not hear an empty cry, nor does the Almighty regard it.14How much less when you say that you do not see him, that the case is before him, and you are waiting for him! (Job 9,11; Job 13,15; Job 23,8)15And now, because his anger does not punish, and he does not take much note of transgression,[2] (4.Mos 16,29; Salm 89,32)16Job opens his mouth in empty talk; he multiplies words without knowledge.” (Job 34,35; Job 34,37; Job 36,12; Job 38,2; Job 42,3)