Job 36
1 Continuing in a similar manner, Eliu had this to say:
And Elihu went on to say,
2 Bear with me for a little while and I will show you; for I have still more to say in favor of God.
Give me a little more time, and I will make it clear to you; for I have still something to say for God.
3 I will review my knowledge from the beginning, and I will prove my Maker to be just.
I will get my knowledge from far, and I will give righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words are without any falsehood and perfect knowledge will be proven to you.
For truly my words are not false; one who has all knowledge is talking with you.
5 God does not abandon the powerful, for he himself is also powerful.
Truly, God gives up the hard-hearted, and will not give life to the sinner.
6 But he does not save the impious, though he grants judgment to the poor.
His eyes are ever on the upright, and he gives to the crushed their right;
7 He will not take his eyes away from the just, and he continually establishes kings on their throne, and they are exalted.
Lifting them up to the seat of kings, and making them safe for ever.
8 And, if they are in captivity, or are bound with the chains of poverty,
And if they have been prisoned in chains, and taken in cords of trouble,
9 he will reveal to them their works, as well as their sinfulness, in that they were violent.
Then he makes clear to them what they have done, even their evil works in which they have taken pride.
10 Likewise, he will open their ears to his correction, and he will speak to them, so that they may return from iniquity.
Their ear is open to his teaching, and he gives them orders so that their hearts may be turned from evil.
11 If they listen and obey, they will fill their days with goodness and complete their years in glory.
If they give ear to his voice, and do his word, then he gives them long life, and years full of pleasure.
12 But if they will not listen, they will pass away by the sword and will be consumed by foolishness.
But if not, they come to their end, and give up their breath without knowledge.
13 The false and the crafty provoke the wrath of God, yet they do not cry out to him when they are chained.
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.
14 Their soul will die in a storm, and their life, among the unmanly.
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.
15 He will rescue the poor from his anguish, and he will open his ear during tribulation.
He makes the wrong done to the poor the way of their salvation, opening their ears by their trouble.
16 Therefore, he will save you from the narrow mouth very widely, even though it has no foundation under it. Moreover, your respite at table will be full of fatness.
17 Your case has been judged like that of the impious; you will withdraw your plea and your judgment.
18 Therefore, do not let anger overwhelm you so that you oppress another; neither should you allow a multitude of gifts to influence you.
19 Lay down your greatness without distress, and put aside all of your power with courage.
20 Do not prolong the night, even if people rise on their behalf.
21 Be careful that you do not turn to iniquity; for, after your misery, you have begun to follow this.
Take care not to be turned to sin, for you have taken evil for your part in place of sorrow.
22 Behold, God is exalted in his strength, and there is no one like him among the law-givers.
Truly God is lifted up in strength; who is a ruler like him?
23 Who is able to investigate his ways? And who can say, “You have done iniquity,” to him?
Who ever gave orders to him, or said to him, You have done wrong?
24 Remember that you are ignorant of his work, yet men have sung its praises.
See that you give praise to his work, about which men make songs.
25 All men consider him; and each one ponders from a distance.
All people are looking on it; man sees it from far.
26 Behold, God is great, defeating our knowledge; the number of his years is inestimable.
Truly, God is great, greater than all our knowledge; the number of his years may not be searched out.
27 He carries away the drops of rain, and he sends forth showers like a raging whirlpool;
For he takes up the drops from the sea; he sends them through his mist as rain,
28 they flow from the clouds that are woven above everything.
Flowing down from the sky, and dropping on the peoples.
29 If he wills it, he extends the clouds as his tent
And who has knowledge of how the clouds are stretched out, or of the thunders of his tent?
30 and shines with his light from above; likewise, he covers the oceans within his tent.
See, he is stretching out his mist, covering the tops of the mountains with it.
31 For he judges the people by these things, and he gives food to a multitude of mortals.
For by these he gives food to the peoples, and bread in full measure.
32 Within his hands, he hides the light, and he commands it to come forth again.
He takes the light in his hands, sending it against the mark.
33 He announces it to his friend, for it is his possession and he is able to reach out to it.
The thunder makes clear his passion, and the storm gives news of his wrath.
