Job 36
1 And Elius further continued, and said,
Elihu continued on and said,
2 Wait for me yet a little while, that I may teach you: for there is yet speech in me.
“Permit me to speak a little longer, and I will show you some things because I have a little more to say in defense of God.
3 Having fetched my knowledge from afar, and according to my works,
I will obtain my knowledge from far off; I will acknowledge that righteousness belongs to my Maker.
4 I will speak just things truly, and you shall not unjustly receive unjust words.
For indeed, my words will not be false; someone who is mature in knowledge is with you.
5 But know that the Lord will not cast off an innocent man: being mighty in strength of wisdom,
See, God is mighty, and despises no one; he is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 he will not by any means save alive the ungodly: and he will grant the judgement of the poor.
He does not preserve the life of wicked people but instead does what is right for those who suffer.
7 He will not turn away his eyes from the righteous, but [they shall be] with kings on the throne: and he will establish them in triumph, and they shall be exalted.
He does not withdraw his eyes from righteous people but instead sets them on thrones like kings forever, and they are lifted up.
8 But they that are bound in fetters shall be holden in cords of poverty.
If they are bound in chains and trapped in cords of suffering,
9 And he shall recount to them their works, and their transgressions, for such will act with violence.
then he reveals to them what they have done, and their transgressions and their pride.
10 But he will listen to the righteous: and he has said that they shall turn from unrighteousness.
He also opens their ears to his instruction, and commands them to turn back from iniquity.
11 If they should hear and serve [him], they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in honour.
If they listen to him and worship him, they will spend their days in prosperity, their years in contentment.
12 But he preserves not the ungodly; because they are not willing to know the Lord, and because when reproved they were disobedient.
However, if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword; they will die because they have no knowledge.
13 And the hypocrites in heart will array wrath [against themselves]; they will not cry, because he has bound them.
Those who are godless in heart store up their anger; they do not cry out for help even when God ties them up.
14 Therefore let their soul die in youth, and their life be wounded by messengers [of death].
They die in their youth; their lives end among the cultic prostitutes.
15 Because they afflicted the weak and helpless: and he will vindicate the judgement of the meek.
God rescues afflicted people by means of their afflictions; he opens their ears by means of their oppression.
16 And he has also enticed you out of the mouth of the enemy:
Indeed, he would like to draw you out of distress into a broad place where there is no hardship and where your table would be set with food full of fatness.
17 [there is] a deep gulf [and] a rushing stream beneath it, and your table came down full of fatness. Judgement shall not fail from the righteous;
But you are full of judgment on wicked people; judgment and justice have laid hold of you.
18 but there shall be wrath upon the ungodly, by reason of the ungodliness of the bribes which they received for iniquities.
Do not let your anger entice you to mockery, or the greatness of a ransom to turn you aside.
19 Let not [your] mind willingly turn you aside from the petition of the feeble that are in distress.
Can your wealth benefit you, so that you will not be in distress, or can all the force of your strength help you?
20 And draw not forth all the mighty [men] by night, so that the people should go up instead of them.
Do not desire the night, to commit sin against others, when peoples are cut off in their place.
21 But take heed lest you do that which is wrong: for of this you has made choice because of poverty.
Be careful that you do not turn to sin because you are being tested by suffering so that you will stay away from sinning.
22 Behold, the Mighty One shall prevail by his strength: for who is powerful as he is?
See, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him?
23 And who is he that examines his works? or who can say, he has wrought injustice?
Who has ever instructed him about his way? Who can ever say to him, 'You have committed unrighteousness?'
24 Remember that his works are great [beyond] those which men have attempted.
Remember to praise his deeds, of which people have sung.
25 Every man has seen in himself, how many mortals are wounded.
All people have looked on those deeds, but they see those deeds only from far away.
26 Behold, the Mighty One is great, and we shall not know [him]: the number of his years is even infinite.
See, God is great, but we do not understand him well; the number of his years is incalculable.
27 And the drops of rain are numbered by him, and shall be poured out in rain to form a cloud.
For he draws up the drops of water that he distills as rain from his vapor,
28 The ancient [heavens] shall flow, and the clouds overshadow innumerable mortals: he has fixed a time to cattle, and they know the order of rest. [Yet] by all these things your understanding is not astonished, neither is your mind disturbed in [your] body.
which the clouds pour down and drop in abundance on mankind.
29 And though one should understand the outspreadings of the clouds, [or] the measure of his tabernacle;
Indeed, can anyone understand the extensive spread of the clouds and the thunder from his hut?
30 behold he will stretch his bow against him, and he covers the bottom of the sea.
See, he spreads his lightning around him and covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by them he will judge the nations: he will give food to him that has strength.
In this way he judges the peoples and gives food in abundance.
32 He has hidden the light in [his] hands, and given charge concerning it to the interposing [cloud].
He fills his hands with the lightning until he commands it to strike its mark.
33 The Lord will declare concerning this [to] his friend: [but there is] a portion also for unrighteousness.
Its thunder warns of the storm, the cattle can also hear it is coming.
