Job 36
1 Elihu continued speaking.
Elihu also continued, 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.
“Bear with me a little, and I will show you; for I still have something to say on God’s behalf.
3 I will share my extensive knowledge, and I will prove my Creator is in the right.
I will get my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
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 are not false. One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 God is mighty, but doesn't despise anyone; he is powerful in strength and understanding.
“Behold, God is mighty, and doesn’t despise anyone. He is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive, but gives justice to the oppressed.
He doesn’t preserve the life of the wicked, but gives justice to the afflicted.
7 He always pays attention those who do right, and places them on thrones with kings, honoring them eternally.
He doesn’t withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne, he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
8 If they are bound in chains, tied down by ropes of suffering,
If they are bound in fetters, and are taken in the cords of afflictions,
9 then he explains to them what they've done—their arrogant sins.
then he shows them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
10 He makes them pay attention and orders them to stop sinning.
He also opens their ears to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity.
11 If they listen and do what God says they will live out their lives in happiness.
If they listen and serve him, they will spend 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 don’t listen, they will perish by the sword; they will die 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 those who are godless in heart lay up anger. They don’t cry for help when he binds them.
14 They die in their youth; their lives end among the male temple prostitutes.
They die in youth. Their life perishes among the unclean.
15 Through suffering God saves those who suffer; he gets their attention through their troubles.
He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear in 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.
Yes, he would have allured you out of distress, into a wide place, where there is no restriction. That which is set on your table would be full of fatness.
17 But you are preoccupied with the fate of the wicked; judgment and justice fill your mind.
“But you are full of the judgment of the wicked. Judgment and justice take hold of you.
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.
Don’t let riches entice you to wrath, neither let the great size of a bribe turn you aside.
19 Will your cry for help sustain you when troubles come?
Would your wealth sustain you in distress, or all the might of your strength?
20 Do not long for the night when people are suddenly taken away.
Don’t desire the night, when people are cut off 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, don’t regard iniquity; for you have chosen this rather than affliction.
22 Look how much power God has! What teacher is like him?
Behold, God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?
23 Who has instructed him what to do? Who can say to him ‘You have done wrong’?
Who has prescribed his way for him? Or who can say, ‘You have committed unrighteousness’?
24 Instead you should praise him for what he has done, as people have done in song.
“Remember that you magnify his work, about which men have sung.
25 Everyone has seen God's creation, though only from a distance.
All men have looked on it. Man sees it afar off.
26 See how great God is—more than we can understand! No one can count his years.
Behold, God is great, and we don’t know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.
27 He draws up the water and distils it into the dew and the rain.
For he draws up the drops of water, which distill in rain from his vapor,
28 The clouds pour down rain, falling plentifully on humankind.
which the skies pour down and which drop on man abundantly.
29 Can anyone understand how the clouds spread out, or how thunder roars from where he lives?
Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunderings of his pavilion?
30 See how he scatters lightning around him, and covers the depths of the sea in darkness.
Behold, he spreads his light around him. He covers the bottom of the sea.
31 By these actions he rules the people, he provides abundant food.
For by these he judges the people. He gives food in abundance.
32 He holds lightning in his hands and commands where it should strike.
He covers his hands with the lightning, and commands it to strike the mark.
33 Thunder declares his presence—even cattle know when a storm is coming.
Its noise tells about him, and the livestock also, concerning the storm that comes up.
