< Job 36 >

1 And Elihu proceeded and said,
Elihu also proceeded, and said,
2 Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet words 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 fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Creator.
I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my maker.
4 For truly my words shall be no falsehood: one perfect in knowledge is with thee.
(For truly my words are not false.) He who is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 Lo, God is mighty, but despiseth not [any]; mighty in strength of understanding:
Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise. He is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He saveth not the wicked alive; but he doeth justice to the afflicted.
He does not preserve the life of the wicked, but gives to the afflicted their right.
7 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.
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, bound in fetters, they be held in cords of affliction,
And if they be bound in fetters, and be taken in the cords of afflictions,
9 Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions, because they have increased.
then he shows them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
10 And he openeth their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
He also opens their ear to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity.
11 If they hearken and serve [him], they shall accomplish their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
If they hearken and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 But if they hearken not, they shall pass away by the sword, and expire without knowledge.
But if they do not hearken, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
13 But the godless in heart heap up anger; they cry not when he bindeth them:
But those who are godless in heart lay up anger. They do not cry for help when he binds them.
14 Their soul dieth in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
They die in youth, and their life perishes among the unclean.
15 But he delivereth the afflicted in his affliction, and openeth their ear in [their] oppression.
He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear in oppression.
16 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.
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.
17 But thou art full of the judgments of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold [on thee].
But thou have fulfilled the judgment of the wicked. Judgment and justice take hold,
18 Because there is wrath, [beware] lest it take thee away through chastisement: then a great ransom could not avail thee.
and there shall be wrath upon the impious because of the ungodliness of bribes which the unrighteous receive.
19 Will he esteem thy riches? Not gold, nor all the resources of strength!
Will thy cry not avail in distress, or all the forces of strength?
20 Desire not the night, when peoples are cut off from their place.
Do not desire the night, when peoples are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, turn not to iniquity; for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
Take heed. Do not turn to iniquity, for thou have fixed on this because of affliction.
22 Lo, God is exalted in his power: who teacheth as he?
Behold, God does loftily in his power. Who is a teacher like him?
23 Who hath appointed him his way? or who hath said, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?
Who has enjoined him his way? Or who can say, Thou have wrought unrighteousness?
24 Remember that thou magnify his work, which men celebrate.
Remember that thou magnify his work, of which men have sung.
25 All men look at it; man beholdeth [it] afar off.
All men have looked on it. Man beholds it afar off.
26 Lo, God is great, and we comprehend [him] not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
Behold, God is great, and we do not know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.
27 For he draweth up the drops of water: they distil in rain from the vapour which he formeth,
For he draws up the drops of water, which distil in rain from his vapor,
28 Which the skies pour down [and] drop upon man abundantly.
which the skies pour down and drop upon man abundantly.
29 But can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, [or] the crashing of his pavilion?
Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion?
30 Lo, he spreadeth his light around him, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
Behold, he spreads his light around him, and he covers the bottom of the sea.
31 For with them he judgeth the peoples; he giveth food in abundance.
For by these he judges the peoples. He gives food in abundance.
32 [His] hands he covereth with lightning, and commandeth it where it is to strike.
He covers his hands with the lightning, and gives it a command that it strike the mark.
33 His thundering declareth concerning him; the cattle even, concerning its coming.
The noise of it tells concerning him. The cattle also concerning the storm that comes up.

< Job 36 >