Job 36
1 And Elihu proceeded and said,
And Elihu adds and says:
2 Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet words for God.
“Honor me a little, and I show you, That yet for God [are] words.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Creator.
I lift up my knowledge from afar, And I ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words shall be no falsehood: one perfect in knowledge is with thee.
For my words [are] truly not false, The perfect in knowledge [is] with you.
5 Lo, God is mighty, but despiseth not [any]; mighty in strength of understanding:
Behold, God [is] mighty, and does not despise, Mighty [in] power [and] heart.
6 He saveth not the wicked alive; but he doeth justice to the afflicted.
He does not revive the wicked, And appoints the judgment 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 does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous, And [from] kings on the throne, And causes them to sit forever, and they are high,
8 And if, bound in fetters, they be held in cords of affliction,
And if prisoners in chains They are captured with cords of affliction,
9 Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions, because they have increased.
Then He declares to them their work, And their transgressions, Because they have become mighty,
10 And he openeth their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
And He uncovers their ear for instruction, And commands that they turn back from iniquity.
11 If they hearken and serve [him], they shall accomplish their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
If they hear and serve, They complete their days in good, And their years in pleasantness.
12 But if they hearken not, they shall pass away by the sword, and expire without knowledge.
And if they do not listen, They pass away by the dart, And expire without knowledge.
13 But the godless in heart heap up anger; they cry not when he bindeth them:
And the profane in heart set the face, They do not cry when He has bound them.
14 Their soul dieth in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
Their soul dies in youth, And their life among the defiled.
15 But he delivereth the afflicted in his affliction, and openeth their ear in [their] oppression.
He draws out the afflicted in his affliction, And uncovers 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.
And He also moved you from a narrow place [To] a broad place—no constriction under it, And the sitting beyond of your table has been full of fatness.
17 But thou art full of the judgments of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold [on thee].
And you have fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, Judgment and justice are upheld because of fury,
18 Because there is wrath, [beware] lest it take thee away through chastisement: then a great ransom could not avail thee.
Lest He move you with a stroke, And the abundance of an atonement not turn you aside.
19 Will he esteem thy riches? Not gold, nor all the resources of strength!
Does He value your riches? He has gold, and all the forces of power.
20 Desire not the night, when peoples are cut off from their place.
Do not desire the night, For the going up of peoples in their stead.
21 Take heed, turn not to iniquity; for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
Take heed—do not turn to iniquity, For you have fixed on this Rather than [on] affliction.
22 Lo, God is exalted in his power: who teacheth as he?
Behold, God sits on high by His power, Who [is] like Him—a teacher?
23 Who hath appointed him his way? or who hath said, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?
Who has appointed to Him His way? And who said, You have done iniquity?
24 Remember that thou magnify his work, which men celebrate.
Remember that you magnify His work That men have beheld.
25 All men look at it; man beholdeth [it] afar off.
All men have looked on it, Man looks attentively from afar.
26 Lo, God is great, and we comprehend [him] not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
Behold, God [is] high, And we do not know the number of His years, Indeed, there [is] no searching.
27 For he draweth up the drops of water: they distil in rain from the vapour which he formeth,
When He diminishes droppings of the waters, They refine rain according to its vapor,
28 Which the skies pour down [and] drop upon man abundantly.
Which clouds drop, They distill on man abundantly.
29 But can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, [or] the crashing of his pavilion?
Indeed, do [any] understand The spreadings out of a cloud? The noises of His dwelling place?
30 Lo, he spreadeth his light around him, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
Behold, He has spread His light over it, And He has covered the roots of the sea,
31 For with them he judgeth the peoples; he giveth food in abundance.
For He judges peoples by them, He gives food in abundance.
32 [His] hands he covereth with lightning, and commandeth it where it is to strike.
By two palms He has covered the light, And lays a charge over it in meeting,
33 His thundering declareth concerning him; the cattle even, concerning its coming.
His shout shows it, The livestock also, the rising [storm].”
