Job 36
1 And Elihu proceeded and said,
And Elius further continued, and said,
2 Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet words for God.
Wait for me yet a little while, that I may teach you: for there is yet speech in me.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Creator.
Having fetched my knowledge from afar, and according to my works,
4 For truly my words shall be no falsehood: one perfect in knowledge is with thee.
I will speak just things truly, and you shall not unjustly receive unjust words.
5 Lo, God is mighty, but despiseth not [any]; mighty in strength of understanding:
But know that the Lord will not cast off an innocent man: being mighty in strength of wisdom,
6 He saveth not the wicked alive; but he doeth justice to the afflicted.
he will not by any means save alive the ungodly: and he will grant the judgement of the poor.
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 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.
8 And if, bound in fetters, they be held in cords of affliction,
But they that are bound in fetters shall be holden in cords of poverty.
9 Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions, because they have increased.
And he shall recount to them their works, and their transgressions, for such will act with violence.
10 And he openeth their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
But he will listen to the righteous: and he has said that they shall turn from unrighteousness.
11 If they hearken and serve [him], they shall accomplish their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
If they should hear and serve [him], they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in honour.
12 But if they hearken not, they shall pass away by the sword, and expire without knowledge.
But he preserves not the ungodly; because they are not willing to know the Lord, and because when reproved they were disobedient.
13 But the godless in heart heap up anger; they cry not when he bindeth them:
And the hypocrites in heart will array wrath [against themselves]; they will not cry, because he has bound them.
14 Their soul dieth in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
Therefore let their soul die in youth, and their life be wounded by messengers [of death].
15 But he delivereth the afflicted in his affliction, and openeth their ear in [their] oppression.
Because they afflicted the weak and helpless: and he will vindicate the judgement of the meek.
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.
And he has also enticed you out of the mouth of the enemy:
17 But thou art full of the judgments of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold [on thee].
[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;
18 Because there is wrath, [beware] lest it take thee away through chastisement: then a great ransom could not avail thee.
but there shall be wrath upon the ungodly, by reason of the ungodliness of the bribes which they received for iniquities.
19 Will he esteem thy riches? Not gold, nor all the resources of strength!
Let not [your] mind willingly turn you aside from the petition of the feeble that are in distress.
20 Desire not the night, when peoples are cut off from their place.
And draw not forth all the mighty [men] by night, so that the people should go up instead of them.
21 Take heed, turn not to iniquity; for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
But take heed lest you do that which is wrong: for of this you has made choice because of poverty.
22 Lo, God is exalted in his power: who teacheth as he?
Behold, the Mighty One shall prevail by his strength: for who is powerful as he is?
23 Who hath appointed him his way? or who hath said, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?
And who is he that examines his works? or who can say, he has wrought injustice?
24 Remember that thou magnify his work, which men celebrate.
Remember that his works are great [beyond] those which men have attempted.
25 All men look at it; man beholdeth [it] afar off.
Every man has seen in himself, how many mortals are wounded.
26 Lo, God is great, and we comprehend [him] not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
Behold, the Mighty One is great, and we shall not know [him]: the number of his years is even infinite.
27 For he draweth up the drops of water: they distil in rain from the vapour which he formeth,
And the drops of rain are numbered by him, and shall be poured out in rain to form a cloud.
28 Which the skies pour down [and] drop upon man abundantly.
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.
29 But can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, [or] the crashing of his pavilion?
And though one should understand the outspreadings of the clouds, [or] the measure of his tabernacle;
30 Lo, he spreadeth his light around him, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
behold he will stretch his bow against him, and he covers the bottom of the sea.
31 For with them he judgeth the peoples; he giveth food in abundance.
For by them he will judge the nations: he will give food to him that has strength.
32 [His] hands he covereth with lightning, and commandeth it where it is to strike.
He has hidden the light in [his] hands, and given charge concerning it to the interposing [cloud].
33 His thundering declareth concerning him; the cattle even, concerning its coming.
The Lord will declare concerning this [to] his friend: [but there is] a portion also for unrighteousness.
