Job 36
1 And Elihu continued:
Then continued Elihu, 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.
Wait for me a little, and I will instruct thee; for [I have] still some words on God's behalf.
3 I get my knowledge from afar, and I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
I will lift up my knowledge for him who is afar, and for my Maker will I obtain righteousness.
4 For truly my words are free of falsehood; one perfect in knowledge is with you.
For truly no falsehood is [in] my words: one that is upright in [his] opinions [dealeth now] with thee.
5 Indeed, God is mighty, but He despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding.
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength of intellect.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive, but He grants justice to the afflicted.
He permitteth not the wicked to live; but he procureth justice for 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 [he placeth them] with kings on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, 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 if they be entangled in the cords of affliction:
9 then He tells them their deeds and how arrogantly they have transgressed.
Then doth he tell them of their work, and of their transgressions, when they had become strong.
10 He opens their ears to correction and commands that they turn from iniquity.
And he openeth thus their ear to correction, and saith that they should return from wrong-doing.
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 will spend their days in happiness, 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 will pass away through the sword, and they will perish in want of knowledge.
13 The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when He binds them, they do not cry for help.
But the hypocrites in heart persevere in wrath; they will not offer entreaty when he bindeth them:
14 They die in their youth, among the male shrine prostitutes.
Their soul will die in youth, and their life, among the incestuous.
15 God rescues the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ears in oppression.
He delivereth the afflicted through his affliction, and openeth through oppression his ear.
16 Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and broad place, to a table full of richness.
And also thee hath he incited away from the jaws of distress into a wide space, on the site of which there is no straitness; and what is set on thy table is full of fatness.
17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have seized you.
But if thou art full of the judgment of the wicked: [divine] judgment and decree will support each other.
18 Be careful that no one lures you with riches; do not let a large bribe lead you astray.
For there would be fury, If aught were to incite thee to utter an abundance [of rebellious words]; and the greatness of the infliction must not mislead thee.
19 Can your wealth or all your mighty effort keep you from distress?
Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold ore, nor all the highest forces of strength.
20 Do not long for the night, when people vanish from their homes.
Desire then not eagerly the night, when nations pass away in their place.
21 Be careful not to turn to iniquity, for this you have preferred to affliction.
Take heed, turn not thyself to wrong-doing, so that thou wouldst choose this because of [thy] affliction.
22 Behold, God is exalted in His power. Who is a teacher like Him?
Behold, God is exalted by his power: who is an instructer like him?
23 Who has appointed His way for Him, or told Him, ‘You have done wrong’?
Who hath given him a charge concerning his way? or who hath ever said, Thou hast acted unjustly?
24 Remember to magnify His work, which men have praised in song.
Reflect, that thou shouldst magnify his work, which [other] men have beheld.
25 All mankind has seen it; men behold it from afar.
All men have looked at it [with astonishment]; the mortal gazeth at it from afar.
26 Indeed, God is great—beyond our knowledge; the number of His years is unsearchable.
Behold, God is great, and we comprehend him not, the number of his years can truly not be searched out.
27 For He draws up drops of water which distill the rain from the mist,
For he taketh away drops of water, which are purified into rain in his mist:
28 which the clouds pour out and shower abundantly on mankind.
These drop down out of the skies; they distil upon the multitude of men.
29 Furthermore, who can understand how the clouds spread out, how the thunder roars from His pavilion?
But [what man] can understand the outspreadings of the clouds? the tumult of his tabernacle?
30 See how He scatters His lightning around Him and covers the depths of the sea.
Behold, he spreadeth out over it his light, and covereth up the roots of the sea.
31 For by these He judges the nations and provides food in abundance.
For by means of them he judgeth nations, he giveth food in superfluity.
32 He fills His hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.
[His] hands he covereth with light; and he commandeth it to strike the one who striveth against him.
33 The thunder declares His presence; even the cattle regard the rising storm.
The noise of his storm telleth of it, yea, the cattle also, of the rising tempest.
