< Job 36 >

1 And Elihu went on to say,
And Elihu 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.
Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet words for God.
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 Creator.
4 For truly my words are not false; one who has all knowledge is talking with you.
For truly my words shall be no falsehood: one perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 Truly, God gives up the hard-hearted, and will not give life to the sinner.
Lo, God is mighty, but despiseth not [any]; mighty in strength of understanding:
6 His eyes are ever on the upright, and he gives to the crushed their right;
He saveth not the wicked alive; but he doeth justice to the afflicted.
7 Lifting them up to the seat of kings, and making them safe for ever.
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 they have been prisoned in chains, and taken in cords of trouble,
And if, bound in fetters, they be held in cords of affliction,
9 Then he makes clear to them what they have done, even their evil works in which they have taken pride.
Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions, because they have increased.
10 Their ear is open to his teaching, and he gives them orders so that their hearts may be turned from evil.
And he openeth their ear to discipline, and commandeth 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 accomplish 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 hearken not, they shall pass away by the sword, and expire 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 the godless in heart heap up anger; they cry not when he bindeth 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.
Their soul dieth in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
15 He makes the wrong done to the poor the way of their salvation, opening their ears by their trouble.
But he delivereth the afflicted in his affliction, and openeth their ear in [their] oppression.
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.
But thou art full of the judgments of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold [on thee].
Because there is wrath, [beware] lest it take thee away through chastisement: then a great ransom could not avail thee.
Will he esteem thy riches? Not gold, nor all the resources of strength!
Desire not the night, when peoples are cut off from 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, turn not to iniquity; for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 Truly God is lifted up in strength; who is a ruler like him?
Lo, God is exalted in his power: who teacheth as he?
23 Who ever gave orders to him, or said to him, You have done wrong?
Who hath appointed him his way? or who hath said, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?
24 See that you give praise to his work, about which men make songs.
Remember that thou magnify his work, which men celebrate.
25 All people are looking on it; man sees it from far.
All men look at it; man beholdeth [it] afar off.
26 Truly, God is great, greater than all our knowledge; the number of his years may not be searched out.
Lo, God is great, and we comprehend [him] not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
27 For he takes up the drops from the sea; he sends them through his mist as rain,
For he draweth up the drops of water: they distil in rain from the vapour which he formeth,
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?
But can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, [or] the crashing of his pavilion?
30 See, he is stretching out his mist, covering the tops of the mountains with it.
Lo, he spreadeth his light around him, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
31 For by these he gives food to the peoples, and bread in full measure.
For with them he judgeth the peoples; he giveth food in abundance.
32 He takes the light in his hands, sending it against the mark.
[His] hands he covereth with lightning, and commandeth it where it is to strike.
33 The thunder makes clear his passion, and the storm gives news of his wrath.
His thundering declareth concerning him; the cattle even, concerning its coming.

< Job 36 >