Job 36
1 And Elihu went on to say,
Elihu also proceeded, and said,
2 Give me a little more time, and I will make it clear to you; for I have still something to say for God.
Allow me a little, and I will show thee. For I have yet somewhat to say on God's behalf.
3 I will get my knowledge from far, and I will give righteousness to my Maker.
I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my maker.
4 For truly my words are not false; one who has all knowledge is talking with you.
(For truly my words are not false.) He who is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 Truly, God gives up the hard-hearted, and will not give life to the sinner.
Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise. He is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 His eyes are ever on the upright, and he gives to the crushed their right;
He does not preserve the life of the wicked, but gives to the afflicted their right.
7 Lifting them up to the seat of kings, and making them safe for ever.
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 they have been prisoned in chains, and taken in cords of trouble,
And if they be bound in fetters, and be taken in the cords of afflictions,
9 Then he makes clear to them what they have done, even their evil works in which they have taken pride.
then he shows them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
10 Their ear is open to his teaching, and he gives them orders so that their hearts may be turned from evil.
He also opens their ear to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity.
11 If they give ear to his voice, and do his word, then he gives them long life, and years full of pleasure.
If they hearken and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 But if not, they come to their end, and give up their breath without knowledge.
But if they do not hearken, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
13 Those who have no fear of God keep wrath stored up in their hearts; they give no cry for help when they are made prisoners.
But those who are godless in heart lay up anger. They do not cry for help when he binds them.
14 They come to their end while they are still young, their life is short like that of those who are used for sex purposes in the worship of their gods.
They die in youth, and their life perishes among the unclean.
15 He makes the wrong done to the poor the way of their salvation, opening their ears by their trouble.
He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear in oppression.
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.
But thou have fulfilled the judgment of the wicked. Judgment and justice take hold,
and there shall be wrath upon the impious because of the ungodliness of bribes which the unrighteous receive.
Will thy cry not avail in distress, or all the forces of strength?
Do not desire the night, when peoples are cut off in their place.
21 Take care not to be turned to sin, for you have taken evil for your part in place of sorrow.
Take heed. Do not turn to iniquity, for thou have fixed on this because of affliction.
22 Truly God is lifted up in strength; who is a ruler like him?
Behold, God does loftily in his power. Who is a teacher like him?
23 Who ever gave orders to him, or said to him, You have done wrong?
Who has enjoined him his way? Or who can say, Thou have wrought unrighteousness?
24 See that you give praise to his work, about which men make songs.
Remember that thou magnify his work, of which men have sung.
25 All people are looking on it; man sees it from far.
All men have looked on it. Man beholds it afar off.
26 Truly, God is great, greater than all our knowledge; the number of his years may not be searched out.
Behold, God is great, and we do not know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.
27 For he takes up the drops from the sea; he sends them through his mist as rain,
For he draws up the drops of water, which distil in rain from his vapor,
28 Flowing down from the sky, and dropping on the peoples.
which the skies pour down and drop upon man abundantly.
29 And who has knowledge of how the clouds are stretched out, or of the thunders of his tent?
Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion?
30 See, he is stretching out his mist, covering the tops of the mountains with it.
Behold, he spreads his light around him, and he covers the bottom of the sea.
31 For by these he gives food to the peoples, and bread in full measure.
For by these he judges the peoples. He gives food in abundance.
32 He takes the light in his hands, sending it against the mark.
He covers his hands with the lightning, and gives it a command that it strike the mark.
33 The thunder makes clear his passion, and the storm gives news of his wrath.
The noise of it tells concerning him. The cattle also concerning the storm that comes up.
