Job 36
1 Elihu also proceeded, and said,
Continuing in a similar manner, Eliu had this to say:
2 Allow me a little, and I will show thee. For I have yet somewhat to say on God's behalf.
Bear with me for a little while and I will show you; for I have still more to say in favor of God.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my maker.
I will review my knowledge from the beginning, and I will prove my Maker to be just.
4 (For truly my words are not false.) He who is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
For truly my words are without any falsehood and perfect knowledge will be proven to you.
5 Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise. He is mighty in strength of understanding.
God does not abandon the powerful, for he himself is also powerful.
6 He does not preserve the life of the wicked, but gives to the afflicted their right.
But he does not save the impious, though he grants judgment to the poor.
7 He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but he sets them forever with kings upon the throne, and they are exalted.
He will not take his eyes away from the just, and he continually establishes kings on their throne, and they are exalted.
8 And if they be bound in fetters, and be taken in the cords of afflictions,
And, if they are in captivity, or are bound with the chains of poverty,
9 then he shows them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
he will reveal to them their works, as well as their sinfulness, in that they were violent.
10 He also opens their ear to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity.
Likewise, he will open their ears to his correction, and he will speak to them, so that they may return from iniquity.
11 If they hearken and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
If they listen and obey, they will fill their days with goodness and complete their years in glory.
12 But if they do not hearken, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
But if they will not listen, they will pass away by the sword and will be consumed by foolishness.
13 But those who are godless in heart lay up anger. They do not cry for help when he binds them.
The false and the crafty provoke the wrath of God, yet they do not cry out to him when they are chained.
14 They die in youth, and their life perishes among the unclean.
Their soul will die in a storm, and their life, among the unmanly.
15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear in oppression.
He will rescue the poor from his anguish, and he will open his ear during tribulation.
16 Yea, he would have allured thee out of distress into a broad place, where there is no confinement, and that which is set on thy table would be full of fatness.
Therefore, he will save you from the narrow mouth very widely, even though it has no foundation under it. Moreover, your respite at table will be full of fatness.
17 But thou have fulfilled the judgment of the wicked. Judgment and justice take hold,
Your case has been judged like that of the impious; you will withdraw your plea and your judgment.
18 and there shall be wrath upon the impious because of the ungodliness of bribes which the unrighteous receive.
Therefore, do not let anger overwhelm you so that you oppress another; neither should you allow a multitude of gifts to influence you.
19 Will thy cry not avail in distress, or all the forces of strength?
Lay down your greatness without distress, and put aside all of your power with courage.
20 Do not desire the night, when peoples are cut off in their place.
Do not prolong the night, even if people rise on their behalf.
21 Take heed. Do not turn to iniquity, for thou have fixed on this because of affliction.
Be careful that you do not turn to iniquity; for, after your misery, you have begun to follow this.
22 Behold, God does loftily in his power. Who is a teacher like him?
Behold, God is exalted in his strength, and there is no one like him among the law-givers.
23 Who has enjoined him his way? Or who can say, Thou have wrought unrighteousness?
Who is able to investigate his ways? And who can say, “You have done iniquity,” to him?
24 Remember that thou magnify his work, of which men have sung.
Remember that you are ignorant of his work, yet men have sung its praises.
25 All men have looked on it. Man beholds it afar off.
All men consider him; and each one ponders from a distance.
26 Behold, God is great, and we do not know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.
Behold, God is great, defeating our knowledge; the number of his years is inestimable.
27 For he draws up the drops of water, which distil in rain from his vapor,
He carries away the drops of rain, and he sends forth showers like a raging whirlpool;
28 which the skies pour down and drop upon man abundantly.
they flow from the clouds that are woven above everything.
29 Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion?
If he wills it, he extends the clouds as his tent
30 Behold, he spreads his light around him, and he covers the bottom of the sea.
and shines with his light from above; likewise, he covers the oceans within his tent.
31 For by these he judges the peoples. He gives food in abundance.
For he judges the people by these things, and he gives food to a multitude of mortals.
32 He covers his hands with the lightning, and gives it a command that it strike the mark.
Within his hands, he hides the light, and he commands it to come forth again.
33 The noise of it tells concerning him. The cattle also concerning the storm that comes up.
He announces it to his friend, for it is his possession and he is able to reach out to it.
