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.
Bear with me a little while, that I may show thee! For I have yet words in behalf of God.
3 I get my knowledge from afar, and I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
I will bring my knowledge from afar, And assert the justice of my Maker.
4 For truly my words are free of falsehood; one perfect in knowledge is with you.
Truly my words shall not be false: A man of sound knowledge is before thee.
5 Indeed, God is mighty, but He despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding.
Behold, God is great, but despiseth not any; Great is he in strength of understanding.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive, but He grants justice to the afflicted.
He suffereth not the wicked to prosper, But rendereth justice to the oppressed.
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 establisheth them for ever with kings on the throne, That they may be exalted.
8 And if men are bound with chains, caught in cords of affliction,
And if they be bound in fetters, And holden in the cords of affliction,
9 then He tells them their deeds and how arrogantly they have transgressed.
Then showeth he them their deeds, And how they have set him at defiance by their transgressions;
10 He opens their ears to correction and commands that they turn from iniquity.
He also openeth their ears to admonition, And commandeth them to return from iniquity.
11 If they obey and serve Him, then they end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness.
If they obey and serve him, They 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 obey not, they perish by the sword; They die in their own folly.
13 The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when He binds them, they do not cry for help.
The corrupt in heart treasure up wrath; They cry not to God, when he bindeth them.
14 They die in their youth, among the male shrine prostitutes.
They die in their youth; They close their lives with the unclean.
15 God rescues the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ears in oppression.
But he delivereth the poor in their distress; He openeth their ears in affliction.
16 Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and broad place, to a table full of richness.
He will bring thee also from the jaws of distress To a broad place, where is no straitness; And the provision of thy table shall be 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, Judgment and justice shall take hold of thee.
18 Be careful that no one lures you with riches; do not let a large bribe lead you astray.
For if wrath be with him, beware lest he take thee away by his stroke, So that a great ransom shall not save thee!
19 Can your wealth or all your mighty effort keep you from distress?
Will he esteem thy riches? No! neither thy gold, nor all the abundance of thy wealth.
20 Do not long for the night, when people vanish from their homes.
Long not thou for that night To which nations are taken away from their place.
21 Be careful not to turn to iniquity, for this you have preferred to affliction.
Take heed, turn not thine eyes to iniquity! For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God is exalted in His power. Who is a teacher like Him?
Behold, God is exalted 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 hath prescribed to him his way? Or who can say to him, “Thou hast done wrong”?
24 Remember to magnify His work, which men have praised in song.
Forget not to magnify his work, Which men celebrate with songs.
25 All mankind has seen it; men behold it from afar.
All mankind gaze upon it; Mortals behold it from afar.
26 Indeed, God is great—beyond our knowledge; the number of His years is unsearchable.
Behold, God is great; we cannot know him, Nor search out the number of his years.
27 For He draws up drops of water which distill the rain from the mist,
Lo! he draweth up the drops of water, Which distil rain from his vapor;
28 which the clouds pour out and shower abundantly on mankind.
The clouds pour it down, And drop it upon man in abundance.
29 Furthermore, who can understand how the clouds spread out, how the thunder roars from His pavilion?
Who can understand the spreading of his clouds, And the rattling of his pavilion?
30 See how He scatters His lightning around Him and covers the depths of the sea.
Behold, he spreadeth around himself his light, And he clotheth himself with the depths of the sea.
31 For by these He judges the nations and provides food in abundance.
By these he punisheth nations, And by these 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; He giveth it commandment against an enemy.
33 The thunder declares His presence; even the cattle regard the rising storm.
His thunder maketh him known; Yea, to the herds, as he ascendeth on high.
