< Job 36 >
1 Elihu also proceeded, and said:
And Elihu adds and says:
2 Suffer me a little, and I will tell thee; for there are yet words on God's behalf.
“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 Maker.
I lift up my knowledge from afar, And I ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words are not false; one that is upright in mind is with thee.
For my words [are] truly not false, The perfect in knowledge [is] with you.
5 Behold, God is mighty, yet He despiseth not any; He is mighty in strength of understanding.
Behold, God [is] mighty, and does not despise, Mighty [in] power [and] heart.
6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked; but giveth to the poor their right.
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 upon the throne He setteth 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 they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;
And if prisoners in chains They are captured with cords of affliction,
9 Then He declareth unto them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
Then He declares to them their work, And their transgressions, Because they have become mighty,
10 He openeth also 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 spend 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 perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
And if they do not listen, They pass away by the dart, And expire without knowledge.
13 But they that are godless in heart lay up anger; they cry not for help when He bindeth them.
And the profane in heart set the face, They do not cry when He has bound them.
14 Their soul perisheth in youth, and their life as that of the depraved.
Their soul dies in youth, And their life among the defiled.
15 He delivereth the afflicted by His affliction, and openeth their ear by tribulation.
He draws out the afflicted in his affliction, And uncovers their ear in oppression.
16 Yea, He hath allured thee out of distress into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which is set on thy table is 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 And thou art full of the judgment of the wicked; judgment and justice take hold on them.
And you have fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, Judgment and justice are upheld because of fury,
18 For beware of wrath, lest thou be led away by thy sufficiency; neither let the greatness of the ransom turn thee aside.
Lest He move you with a stroke, And the abundance of an atonement not turn you aside.
19 Will thy riches avail, that are without stint, or all the forces of thy 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 in their place.
Do not desire the night, For the going up of peoples in their stead.
21 Take heed, regard not 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 Behold, God doeth loftily in His power; who is a teacher like Him?
Behold, God sits on high by His power, Who [is] like Him—a teacher?
23 Who hath enjoined 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, whereof men have sung.
Remember that you magnify His work That men have beheld.
25 All men have looked thereon; man beholdeth it afar off.
All men have looked on it, Man looks attentively from afar.
26 Behold, God is great, beyond our knowledge; the number of His years is unsearchable.
Behold, God [is] high, And we do not know the number of His years, Indeed, there [is] no searching.
27 For He draweth away the drops of water, which distil rain from His vapour;
When He diminishes droppings of the waters, They refine rain according to its vapor,
28 Which the skies pour down and drop upon the multitudes of men.
Which clouds drop, They distill on man abundantly.
29 Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, the crashings of His pavilion?
Indeed, do [any] understand The spreadings out of a cloud? The noises of His dwelling place?
30 Behold, He spreadeth His light upon it; and He covereth the depths of the sea.
Behold, He has spread His light over it, And He has covered the roots of the sea,
31 For by these He judgeth the peoples; He giveth food in abundance.
For He judges peoples by them, He gives food in abundance.
32 He covereth His hands with the lightning, and giveth it a charge that it strike the mark.
By two palms He has covered the light, And lays a charge over it in meeting,
33 The noise thereof telleth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the storm that cometh up.
His shout shows it, The livestock also, the rising [storm].”