Job 36
1 Elihu continued speaking.
And Elihu proceeded and said,
2 “Be patient with me just a little while longer and let me explain. I still have something to say on God's behalf.
Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet words for God.
3 I will share my extensive knowledge, and I will prove my Creator is in the right.
I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Creator.
4 I assure you that what I'm saying are not lies, for I am a man whose knowledge is of the highest order.
For truly my words shall be no falsehood: one perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 God is mighty, but doesn't despise anyone; he is powerful in strength and understanding.
Lo, God is mighty, but despiseth not [any]; mighty in strength of understanding:
6 He does not keep the wicked alive, but gives justice to the oppressed.
He saveth not the wicked alive; but he doeth justice to the afflicted.
7 He always pays attention those who do right, and places them on thrones with kings, honoring them eternally.
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.
8 If they are bound in chains, tied down by ropes of suffering,
And if, bound in fetters, they be held in cords of affliction,
9 then he explains to them what they've done—their arrogant sins.
Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions, because they have increased.
10 He makes them pay attention and orders them to stop sinning.
And he openeth their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
11 If they listen and do what God says they will live out their lives in happiness.
If they hearken and serve [him], they shall accomplish their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 But if they do not listen they will die a violent death, ignorant of God.
But if they hearken not, they shall pass away by the sword, and expire without knowledge.
13 Those who reject God hold on to their bitterness. Even when he disciplines them they do not cry out to him for help.
But the godless in heart heap up anger; they cry not when he bindeth them:
14 They die in their youth; their lives end among the male temple prostitutes.
Their soul dieth in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
15 Through suffering God saves those who suffer; he gets their attention through their troubles.
But he delivereth the afflicted in his affliction, and openeth their ear in [their] oppression.
16 God is trying to rescue you from the jaws of trouble to a place of freedom and safety, filling your table full of the very best food.
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.
17 But you are preoccupied with the fate of the wicked; judgment and justice fill your mind.
But thou art full of the judgments of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold [on thee].
18 But be careful that your anger doesn't seduce you into mockery; and don't let the size of the ‘bribe’ lead you into sin.
Because there is wrath, [beware] lest it take thee away through chastisement: then a great ransom could not avail thee.
19 Will your cry for help sustain you when troubles come?
Will he esteem thy riches? Not gold, nor all the resources of strength!
20 Do not long for the night when people are suddenly taken away.
Desire not the night, when peoples are cut off from their place.
21 Watch out that you don't turn to evil! For it's because of this that you are being tested through suffering.
Take heed, turn not to iniquity; for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 Look how much power God has! What teacher is like him?
Lo, God is exalted in his power: who teacheth as he?
23 Who has instructed him what to do? Who can say to him ‘You have done wrong’?
Who hath appointed him his way? or who hath said, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?
24 Instead you should praise him for what he has done, as people have done in song.
Remember that thou magnify his work, which men celebrate.
25 Everyone has seen God's creation, though only from a distance.
All men look at it; man beholdeth [it] afar off.
26 See how great God is—more than we can understand! No one can count his years.
Lo, God is great, and we comprehend [him] not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
27 He draws up the water and distils it into the dew and the rain.
For he draweth up the drops of water: they distil in rain from the vapour which he formeth,
28 The clouds pour down rain, falling plentifully on humankind.
Which the skies pour down [and] drop upon man abundantly.
29 Can anyone understand how the clouds spread out, or how thunder roars from where he lives?
But can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, [or] the crashing of his pavilion?
30 See how he scatters lightning around him, and covers the depths of the sea in darkness.
Lo, he spreadeth his light around him, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
31 By these actions he rules the people, he provides abundant food.
For with them he judgeth the peoples; he giveth food in abundance.
32 He holds lightning in his hands and commands where it should strike.
[His] hands he covereth with lightning, and commandeth it where it is to strike.
33 Thunder declares his presence—even cattle know when a storm is coming.
His thundering declareth concerning him; the cattle even, concerning its coming.
