Job 36
1 And Elihu continued:
Elihu also proceeded, and said,
2 “Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you that there is more to be said on God’s behalf.
Allow me a little, and I will show thee. For I have yet somewhat to say on God's behalf.
3 I get my knowledge from afar, and I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my maker.
4 For truly my words are free of falsehood; one perfect in knowledge is with you.
(For truly my words are not false.) He who is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 Indeed, God is mighty, but He despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding.
Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise. He is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive, but He grants justice to the afflicted.
He does not preserve the life of the wicked, but gives to the afflicted their right.
7 He does not take His eyes off the righteous, but He enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.
He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but he sets them forever with kings upon the throne, and they are exalted.
8 And if men are bound with chains, caught in cords of affliction,
And if they be bound in fetters, and be taken in the cords of afflictions,
9 then He tells them their deeds and how arrogantly they have transgressed.
then he shows them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
10 He opens their ears to correction and commands that they turn from iniquity.
He also opens their ear to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity.
11 If they obey and serve Him, then they end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness.
If they hearken and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 But if they do not obey, then they perish by the sword and die without knowledge.
But if they do not hearken, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
13 The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when He binds them, they do not cry for help.
But those who are godless in heart lay up anger. They do not cry for help when he binds them.
14 They die in their youth, among the male shrine prostitutes.
They die in youth, and their life perishes among the unclean.
15 God rescues the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ears in oppression.
He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear in oppression.
16 Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and broad place, to a table full of richness.
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.
17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have seized you.
But thou have fulfilled the judgment of the wicked. Judgment and justice take hold,
18 Be careful that no one lures you with riches; do not let a large bribe lead you astray.
and there shall be wrath upon the impious because of the ungodliness of bribes which the unrighteous receive.
19 Can your wealth or all your mighty effort keep you from distress?
Will thy cry not avail in distress, or all the forces of strength?
20 Do not long for the night, when people vanish from their homes.
Do not desire the night, when peoples are cut off in their place.
21 Be careful not to turn to iniquity, for this you have preferred to affliction.
Take heed. Do not turn to iniquity, for thou have fixed on this because of affliction.
22 Behold, God is exalted in His power. Who is a teacher like Him?
Behold, God does loftily in his power. Who is a teacher like him?
23 Who has appointed His way for Him, or told Him, ‘You have done wrong’?
Who has enjoined him his way? Or who can say, Thou have wrought unrighteousness?
24 Remember to magnify His work, which men have praised in song.
Remember that thou magnify his work, of which men have sung.
25 All mankind has seen it; men behold it from afar.
All men have looked on it. Man beholds it afar off.
26 Indeed, God is great—beyond our knowledge; the number of His years is unsearchable.
Behold, God is great, and we do not know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.
27 For He draws up drops of water which distill the rain from the mist,
For he draws up the drops of water, which distil in rain from his vapor,
28 which the clouds pour out and shower abundantly on mankind.
which the skies pour down and drop upon man abundantly.
29 Furthermore, who can understand how the clouds spread out, how the thunder roars from His pavilion?
Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion?
30 See how He scatters His lightning around Him and covers the depths of the sea.
Behold, he spreads his light around him, and he covers the bottom of the sea.
31 For by these He judges the nations and provides food in abundance.
For by these he judges the peoples. He gives food in abundance.
32 He fills His hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.
He covers his hands with the lightning, and gives it a command that it strike the mark.
33 The thunder declares His presence; even the cattle regard the rising storm.
The noise of it tells concerning him. The cattle also concerning the storm that comes up.
