Job 36
1 Elihu continued speaking.
Then continued Elihu, 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.
Wait for me a little, and I will instruct thee; for [I have] still some words on God's behalf.
3 I will share my extensive knowledge, and I will prove my Creator is in the right.
I will lift up my knowledge for him who is afar, and for my Maker will I obtain righteousness.
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 no falsehood is [in] my words: one that is upright in [his] opinions [dealeth now] with thee.
5 God is mighty, but doesn't despise anyone; he is powerful in strength and understanding.
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength of intellect.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive, but gives justice to the oppressed.
He permitteth not the wicked to live; but he procureth justice for 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 [he placeth them] with kings on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.
8 If they are bound in chains, tied down by ropes of suffering,
And if they be bound in fetters, and if they be entangled in the cords of affliction:
9 then he explains to them what they've done—their arrogant sins.
Then doth he tell them of their work, and of their transgressions, when they had become strong.
10 He makes them pay attention and orders them to stop sinning.
And he openeth thus their ear to correction, and saith that they should return from wrong-doing.
11 If they listen and do what God says they will live out their lives in happiness.
If they hearken and serve [him], they will spend their days in happiness, 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 will pass away through the sword, and they will perish in want of 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 hypocrites in heart persevere in wrath; they will not offer entreaty when he bindeth them:
14 They die in their youth; their lives end among the male temple prostitutes.
Their soul will die in youth, and their life, among the incestuous.
15 Through suffering God saves those who suffer; he gets their attention through their troubles.
He delivereth the afflicted through his affliction, and openeth through oppression his ear.
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.
And also thee hath he incited away from the jaws of distress into a wide space, on the site of which there is no straitness; and what is set on thy table is full of fatness.
17 But you are preoccupied with the fate of the wicked; judgment and justice fill your mind.
But if thou art full of the judgment of the wicked: [divine] judgment and decree will support each other.
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.
For there would be fury, If aught were to incite thee to utter an abundance [of rebellious words]; and the greatness of the infliction must not mislead thee.
19 Will your cry for help sustain you when troubles come?
Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold ore, nor all the highest forces of strength.
20 Do not long for the night when people are suddenly taken away.
Desire then not eagerly the night, when nations pass away in 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 thyself to wrong-doing, so that thou wouldst choose this because of [thy] affliction.
22 Look how much power God has! What teacher is like him?
Behold, God is exalted by his power: who is an instructer like him?
23 Who has instructed him what to do? Who can say to him ‘You have done wrong’?
Who hath given him a charge concerning his way? or who hath ever said, Thou hast acted unjustly?
24 Instead you should praise him for what he has done, as people have done in song.
Reflect, that thou shouldst magnify his work, which [other] men have beheld.
25 Everyone has seen God's creation, though only from a distance.
All men have looked at it [with astonishment]; the mortal gazeth at it from afar.
26 See how great God is—more than we can understand! No one can count his years.
Behold, God is great, and we comprehend him not, the number of his years can truly not be searched out.
27 He draws up the water and distils it into the dew and the rain.
For he taketh away drops of water, which are purified into rain in his mist:
28 The clouds pour down rain, falling plentifully on humankind.
These drop down out of the skies; they distil upon the multitude of men.
29 Can anyone understand how the clouds spread out, or how thunder roars from where he lives?
But [what man] can understand the outspreadings of the clouds? the tumult of his tabernacle?
30 See how he scatters lightning around him, and covers the depths of the sea in darkness.
Behold, he spreadeth out over it his light, and covereth up the roots of the sea.
31 By these actions he rules the people, he provides abundant food.
For by means of them he judgeth nations, he giveth food in superfluity.
32 He holds lightning in his hands and commands where it should strike.
[His] hands he covereth with light; and he commandeth it to strike the one who striveth against him.
33 Thunder declares his presence—even cattle know when a storm is coming.
The noise of his storm telleth of it, yea, the cattle also, of the rising tempest.
