< Job 36 >
1 ELIHU also proceeded, and said,
Eliu also proceeded, and said:
2 Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.
Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee: for I have yet somewhat to speak in God’s behalf.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
I will repeat my knowledge from the beginning, and I will prove my Maker just.
4 For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
For indeed my words are without a lie, and perfect knowledge shall be proved to thee.
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
God doth not cast away the mighty, whereas he himself also is mighty.
6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.
But he saveth not the wicked, and he giveth judgment to the poor.
7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.
He will not take away his eyes from the just, and he placeth kings on the throne for ever, and they are exalted.
8 And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;
And if they shall be in chains, and be bound with the cords of poverty:
9 Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
He shall shew them their works, and their wicked deeds, because they have been violent.
10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
He also shall open their ear, to correct them: and shall speak, that they may return from iniquity.
11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
If they shall hear and observe, they shall accomplish their days in good, and their years in glory.
12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
But if they hear not, they shall pass by the sword, and shall be consumed in folly.
13 But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.
Dissemblers and crafty men prove the wrath of God, neither shall they cry when they are bound.
14 They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
Their soul shall die in a storm, and their life among the effeminate.
15 He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
He shall deliver the poor out of his distress, and shall open his ear in affliction.
16 Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
Therefore he shall set thee at large out of the narrow mouth, and which hath no foundation under it: and the rest of thy table shall be full of fatness.
17 But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.
Thy cause hath been judged as that of the wicked, cause and judgment thou shalt recover.
18 Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.
Therefore let not anger overcome thee to oppress any man: neither let multitude of gifts turn thee aside.
19 Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.
Lay down thy greatness without tribulation, and all the mighty of strength.
20 Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
Prolong not the night that people may come up for them.
21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
Beware thou turn not aside to iniquity: for this thou hast begun to follow after misery.
22 Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?
Behold, God is high in his strength, and none is like him among the lawgivers.
23 Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?
Who can search out his ways? or who can say to him: Thou has wrought iniquity?
24 Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.
Remember that thou knowest not his work, concerning which men have sung.
25 Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.
All men see him, every one beholdeth afar off.
26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
Behold, God is great, exceeding our knowledge: the number of his years is inestimable.
27 For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:
He lifteth up the drops of rain, and poureth out showers like floods:
28 Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
Which flow from the clouds that cover all above.
29 Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
If he will spread out clouds as his tent,
30 Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
And lighten with his light from above, he shall cover also the ends of the sea.
31 For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.
For by these he judgeth people, and giveth food to many mortals.
32 With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.
In his hands he hideth the light, and commandeth it to come again.
33 The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
He sheweth his friend concerning it, that it is his possession, and that he may come up to it.