Job 36
1 And Elihu proceeded and said,
Elihu continued on and said,
2 Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet words for God.
“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 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Creator.
I will obtain my knowledge from far off; I will acknowledge that righteousness belongs to my Maker.
4 For truly my words shall be no falsehood: one perfect in knowledge is with thee.
For indeed, my words will not be false; someone who is mature in knowledge is with you.
5 Lo, God is mighty, but despiseth not [any]; mighty in strength of understanding:
See, God is mighty, and despises no one; 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 wicked people but instead does what is right for those who suffer.
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 righteous people but instead sets them on thrones like kings forever, and they are lifted up.
8 And if, bound in fetters, they be held in cords of affliction,
If they are bound in chains and trapped in cords of suffering,
9 Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions, because they have increased.
then he reveals to them what they have done, and their transgressions and their pride.
10 And he openeth their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
He also opens their ears to his instruction, and commands them to 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 listen to him and worship him, they will spend their days in prosperity, their years in contentment.
12 But if they hearken not, they shall pass away by the sword, and expire without knowledge.
However, if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword; they will die because they have no knowledge.
13 But the godless in heart heap up anger; they cry not when he bindeth 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 Their soul dieth in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
They die in their youth; their lives end among the cultic prostitutes.
15 But he delivereth the afflicted in his affliction, and openeth their ear in [their] oppression.
God rescues afflicted people by means of their afflictions; he opens their ears by means of their 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.
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 But thou art full of the judgments of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold [on thee].
But you are full of judgment on wicked people; judgment and justice have laid hold of you.
18 Because there is wrath, [beware] lest it take thee away through chastisement: then a great ransom could not avail thee.
Do not let your anger entice you to mockery, or the greatness of a ransom to turn you aside.
19 Will he esteem thy riches? Not gold, nor all the resources of strength!
Can your wealth benefit you, so that you will not be in distress, or can all the force of your strength help you?
20 Desire not the night, when peoples are cut off from their place.
Do not desire the night, to commit sin against others, when peoples are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, turn not to iniquity; for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
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 Lo, God is exalted in his power: who teacheth as he?
See, God is exalted 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 ever instructed him about his way? Who can ever say to him, 'You have committed unrighteousness?'
24 Remember that thou magnify his work, which men celebrate.
Remember to praise his deeds, of which people have sung.
25 All men look at it; man beholdeth [it] afar off.
All people have looked on those deeds, but they see those deeds only from far away.
26 Lo, God is great, and we comprehend [him] not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
See, God is great, but we do not understand him well; the number of his years is incalculable.
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 that he distills as rain from his vapor,
28 Which the skies pour down [and] drop upon man abundantly.
which the clouds pour down and drop in abundance on mankind.
29 But can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, [or] the crashing of his pavilion?
Indeed, can anyone understand the extensive spread of the clouds and the thunder from his hut?
30 Lo, he spreadeth his light around him, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
See, he spreads his lightning around him and covers the roots of the sea.
31 For with them he judgeth the peoples; he giveth food in abundance.
In this way he judges the peoples and gives food in abundance.
32 [His] hands he covereth with lightning, and commandeth it where it is to strike.
He fills his hands with the lightning until he commands it to strike its mark.
33 His thundering declareth concerning him; the cattle even, concerning its coming.
Its thunder warns of the storm, the cattle can also hear it is coming.
