Job 35:12-16

35:12 Then ¹  they cry out – but he does not answer –

because of the arrogance of the wicked.

35:13 Surely it is an empty cry ²  – God does not hear it;

the Almighty does not take notice of it.

35:14 How much less, then,

when you say that you do not perceive him,

that the case is before him

and you are waiting for him! ³ 

35:15 And further, ⁴  when you say

that his anger does not punish, ⁵ 

and that he does not know transgression! ⁶ 

35:16 So Job opens his mouth to no purpose; ⁷ 

without knowledge he multiplies words.”

[35:12]  ¹ tn The adverb שָׁם (sham, “there”) connects this verse to v. 11. “There” can be locative or temporal – and here it is temporal (= “then”).

[35:13]  ² tn Heb “surely – vanity, he does not hear.” The cry is an empty cry, not a prayer to God. Dhorme translates it, “It is a pure waste of words.”

[35:14]  ³ sn The point is that if God does not listen to those who do not turn to him, how much less likely is he to turn to one who complains against him.

[35:15]  ⁴ tn The expression “and now” introduces a new complaint of Elihu – in addition to the preceding. Here the verb of v. 14, “you say,” is understood after the temporal ki (כִּי).

[35:15]  ⁵ tn The verb פָקַד (paqad) means “to visit” (also “to appoint; to muster; to number”). When God visits, it means that he intervenes in one’s life for blessing or cursing (punishing, destroying).

[35:15]  ⁶ tn The word פַּשׁ (pash) is a hapax legomenon. K&D 12:275 derived it from an Arabic word meaning “belch,” leading to the idea of “overflow.” BDB 832 s.v. defines it as “folly.” Several define it as “transgression” on the basis of the versions (Theodotion, Symmachus, Vulgate). The RSV took it as “greatly heed,” but that is not exactly “greatly know,” when the text beyond that requires “not know at all.” The NIV has “he does not take the least notice of wickedness.”

[35:16]  ⁷ tn The word הֶבֶל (hevel) means “vanity; futility; to no purpose.”