Job 36
1 Then continued Elihu, and said,
And Elius further continued, and said,
2 Wait for me a little, and I will instruct thee; for [I have] still some words on God's behalf.
Wait for me yet a little while, that I may teach you: for there is yet speech in me.
3 I will lift up my knowledge for him who is afar, and for my Maker will I obtain righteousness.
Having fetched my knowledge from afar, and according to my works,
4 For truly no falsehood is [in] my words: one that is upright in [his] opinions [dealeth now] with thee.
I will speak just things truly, and you shall not unjustly receive unjust words.
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength of intellect.
But know that the Lord will not cast off an innocent man: being mighty in strength of wisdom,
6 He permitteth not the wicked to live; but he procureth justice for the afflicted.
he will not by any means save alive the ungodly: and he will grant the judgement of the poor.
7 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.
He will not turn away his eyes from the righteous, but [they shall be] with kings on the throne: and he will establish them in triumph, and they shall be exalted.
8 And if they be bound in fetters, and if they be entangled in the cords of affliction:
But they that are bound in fetters shall be holden in cords of poverty.
9 Then doth he tell them of their work, and of their transgressions, when they had become strong.
And he shall recount to them their works, and their transgressions, for such will act with violence.
10 And he openeth thus their ear to correction, and saith that they should return from wrong-doing.
But he will listen to the righteous: and he has said that they shall turn from unrighteousness.
11 If they hearken and serve [him], they will spend their days in happiness, and their years in pleasures.
If they should hear and serve [him], they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in honour.
12 But if they hearken not, they will pass away through the sword, and they will perish in want of knowledge.
But he preserves not the ungodly; because they are not willing to know the Lord, and because when reproved they were disobedient.
13 But the hypocrites in heart persevere in wrath; they will not offer entreaty when he bindeth them:
And the hypocrites in heart will array wrath [against themselves]; they will not cry, because he has bound them.
14 Their soul will die in youth, and their life, among the incestuous.
Therefore let their soul die in youth, and their life be wounded by messengers [of death].
15 He delivereth the afflicted through his affliction, and openeth through oppression his ear.
Because they afflicted the weak and helpless: and he will vindicate the judgement of the meek.
16 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.
And he has also enticed you out of the mouth of the enemy:
17 But if thou art full of the judgment of the wicked: [divine] judgment and decree will support each other.
[there is] a deep gulf [and] a rushing stream beneath it, and your table came down full of fatness. Judgement shall not fail from the righteous;
18 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.
but there shall be wrath upon the ungodly, by reason of the ungodliness of the bribes which they received for iniquities.
19 Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold ore, nor all the highest forces of strength.
Let not [your] mind willingly turn you aside from the petition of the feeble that are in distress.
20 Desire then not eagerly the night, when nations pass away in their place.
And draw not forth all the mighty [men] by night, so that the people should go up instead of them.
21 Take heed, turn not thyself to wrong-doing, so that thou wouldst choose this because of [thy] affliction.
But take heed lest you do that which is wrong: for of this you has made choice because of poverty.
22 Behold, God is exalted by his power: who is an instructer like him?
Behold, the Mighty One shall prevail by his strength: for who is powerful as he is?
23 Who hath given him a charge concerning his way? or who hath ever said, Thou hast acted unjustly?
And who is he that examines his works? or who can say, he has wrought injustice?
24 Reflect, that thou shouldst magnify his work, which [other] men have beheld.
Remember that his works are great [beyond] those which men have attempted.
25 All men have looked at it [with astonishment]; the mortal gazeth at it from afar.
Every man has seen in himself, how many mortals are wounded.
26 Behold, God is great, and we comprehend him not, the number of his years can truly not be searched out.
Behold, the Mighty One is great, and we shall not know [him]: the number of his years is even infinite.
27 For he taketh away drops of water, which are purified into rain in his mist:
And the drops of rain are numbered by him, and shall be poured out in rain to form a cloud.
28 These drop down out of the skies; they distil upon the multitude of men.
The ancient [heavens] shall flow, and the clouds overshadow innumerable mortals: he has fixed a time to cattle, and they know the order of rest. [Yet] by all these things your understanding is not astonished, neither is your mind disturbed in [your] body.
29 But [what man] can understand the outspreadings of the clouds? the tumult of his tabernacle?
And though one should understand the outspreadings of the clouds, [or] the measure of his tabernacle;
30 Behold, he spreadeth out over it his light, and covereth up the roots of the sea.
behold he will stretch his bow against him, and he covers the bottom of the sea.
31 For by means of them he judgeth nations, he giveth food in superfluity.
For by them he will judge the nations: he will give food to him that has strength.
32 [His] hands he covereth with light; and he commandeth it to strike the one who striveth against him.
He has hidden the light in [his] hands, and given charge concerning it to the interposing [cloud].
33 The noise of his storm telleth of it, yea, the cattle also, of the rising tempest.
The Lord will declare concerning this [to] his friend: [but there is] a portion also for unrighteousness.
