Job 36:20
“Don’t desire the night, when people are cut off in their place.”
What does Job 36:20 mean?
Elihu is warning Job not to wish for death or escape through darkness, when people are suddenly taken away from life. This speaks to that desperate temptation we sometimes feel during our deepest pain, when we want out so badly that we long for the night to come and end everything. Elihu's point is that such longing is actually a trap, a sign we're losing perspective in our suffering. He's calling Job back to reality, reminding him that there's more to live for than the pain of this moment, and that giving in to despair won't bring the peace we're seeking.