Job 36
1 And Elihu continued:
And Elihu 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.
Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet words for God.
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 Creator.
4 For truly my words are free of falsehood; one perfect in knowledge is with you.
For truly my words shall be no falsehood: one perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 Indeed, God is mighty, but He despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding.
Lo, God is mighty, but despiseth not [any]; mighty in strength of understanding:
6 He does not keep the wicked alive, but He grants justice to the afflicted.
He saveth not the wicked alive; but he doeth justice to the afflicted.
7 He does not take His eyes off the righteous, but He enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.
He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne doth he even set them for ever; and they are exalted.
8 And if men are bound with chains, caught in cords of affliction,
And if, bound in fetters, they be held in cords of affliction,
9 then He tells them their deeds and how arrogantly they have transgressed.
Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions, because they have increased.
10 He opens their ears to correction and commands that they turn from iniquity.
And he openeth their ear to discipline, and commandeth 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 accomplish 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 hearken not, they shall pass away by the sword, and expire without knowledge.
13 The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when He binds them, they do not cry for help.
But the godless in heart heap up anger; they cry not when he bindeth them:
14 They die in their youth, among the male shrine prostitutes.
Their soul dieth in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
15 God rescues the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ears in oppression.
But he delivereth the afflicted in his affliction, and openeth their ear in [their] oppression.
16 Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and broad place, to a table full of richness.
Even so would he have allured thee out of the jaws of distress into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and the supply of 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 art full of the judgments of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold [on thee].
18 Be careful that no one lures you with riches; do not let a large bribe lead you astray.
Because there is wrath, [beware] lest it take thee away through chastisement: then a great ransom could not avail thee.
19 Can your wealth or all your mighty effort keep you from distress?
Will he esteem thy riches? Not gold, nor all the resources of strength!
20 Do not long for the night, when people vanish from their homes.
Desire not the night, when peoples are cut off from their place.
21 Be careful not to turn to iniquity, for this you have preferred to affliction.
Take heed, turn not to iniquity; for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God is exalted in His power. Who is a teacher like Him?
Lo, God is exalted in his power: who teacheth as he?
23 Who has appointed His way for Him, or told Him, ‘You have done wrong’?
Who hath appointed him his way? or who hath said, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?
24 Remember to magnify His work, which men have praised in song.
Remember that thou magnify his work, which men celebrate.
25 All mankind has seen it; men behold it from afar.
All men look at it; man beholdeth [it] afar off.
26 Indeed, God is great—beyond our knowledge; the number of His years is unsearchable.
Lo, God is great, and we comprehend [him] not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
27 For He draws up drops of water which distill the rain from the mist,
For he draweth up the drops of water: they distil in rain from the vapour which he formeth,
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?
But can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, [or] the crashing of his pavilion?
30 See how He scatters His lightning around Him and covers the depths of the sea.
Lo, he spreadeth his light around him, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
31 For by these He judges the nations and provides food in abundance.
For with them he judgeth the peoples; he giveth food in abundance.
32 He fills His hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.
[His] hands he covereth with lightning, and commandeth it where it is to strike.
33 The thunder declares His presence; even the cattle regard the rising storm.
His thundering declareth concerning him; the cattle even, concerning its coming.
