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.
Bear with me a little while, that I may show thee! For I have yet words in behalf of God.
3 I will get my knowledge from far, and I will give righteousness to my Maker.
I will bring my knowledge from afar, And assert the justice of my Maker.
4 For truly my words are not false; one who has all knowledge is talking with you.
Truly my words shall not be false: A man of sound knowledge is before thee.
5 Truly, God gives up the hard-hearted, and will not give life to the sinner.
Behold, God is great, but despiseth not any; Great is he in strength of understanding.
6 His eyes are ever on the upright, and he gives to the crushed their right;
He suffereth not the wicked to prosper, But rendereth justice to the oppressed.
7 Lifting them up to the seat of kings, and making them safe for ever.
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 they have been prisoned in chains, and taken in cords of trouble,
And if they be bound in fetters, And holden in the 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 showeth he them their deeds, And how they have set him at defiance by their transgressions;
10 Their ear is open to his teaching, and he gives them orders so that their hearts may be turned from evil.
He also openeth their ears to admonition, And commandeth them to 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 obey and serve him, They 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 obey not, they perish by the sword; They die in their own folly.
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.
The corrupt in heart treasure up wrath; They cry not to God, 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.
They die in their youth; They close their lives with 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 poor in their distress; He openeth their ears in affliction.
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.
But if thou art full of the judgment of the wicked, Judgment and justice shall take hold of thee.
For if wrath be with him, beware lest he take thee away by his stroke, So that a great ransom shall not save thee!
Will he esteem thy riches? No! neither thy gold, nor all the abundance of thy wealth.
Long not thou for that night To which nations are taken away 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 thine eyes to iniquity! For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 Truly God is lifted up in strength; who is a ruler like him?
Behold, God is exalted 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 hath prescribed to him his way? Or who can say to him, “Thou hast done wrong”?
24 See that you give praise to his work, about which men make songs.
Forget not to magnify his work, Which men celebrate with songs.
25 All people are looking on it; man sees it from far.
All mankind gaze upon it; Mortals behold it from afar.
26 Truly, God is great, greater than all our knowledge; the number of his years may not be searched out.
Behold, God is great; we cannot know him, Nor search out the number of his years.
27 For he takes up the drops from the sea; he sends them through his mist as rain,
Lo! he draweth up the drops of water, Which distil rain from his vapor;
28 Flowing down from the sky, and dropping on the peoples.
The clouds pour it down, And drop it upon man in abundance.
29 And who has knowledge of how the clouds are stretched out, or of the thunders of his tent?
Who can understand the spreading of his clouds, And the rattling of his pavilion?
30 See, he is stretching out his mist, covering the tops of the mountains with it.
Behold, he spreadeth around himself his light, And he clotheth himself with the depths of the sea.
31 For by these he gives food to the peoples, and bread in full measure.
By these he punisheth nations, And by these he giveth food in abundance.
32 He takes the light in his hands, sending it against the mark.
His hands he covereth with lightning; He giveth it commandment against an enemy.
33 The thunder makes clear his passion, and the storm gives news of his wrath.
His thunder maketh him known; Yea, to the herds, as he ascendeth on high.
