Job 36
1 Then continued Elihu, and said,
Elihu continued on and said,
2 Wait for me a little, and I will instruct thee; for [I have] still some words on God's behalf.
“Permit me to speak a little longer, and I will show you some things because I have a little more to say in defense of God.
3 I will lift up my knowledge for him who is afar, and for my Maker will I obtain righteousness.
I will obtain my knowledge from far off; I will acknowledge that righteousness belongs to my Maker.
4 For truly no falsehood is [in] my words: one that is upright in [his] opinions [dealeth now] with thee.
For indeed, my words will not be false; someone who is mature in knowledge is with you.
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength of intellect.
See, God is mighty, and despises no one; he is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He permitteth not the wicked to live; but he procureth justice for the afflicted.
He does not preserve the life of wicked people but instead does what is right for those who suffer.
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 does not withdraw his eyes from righteous people but instead sets them on thrones like kings forever, and they are lifted up.
8 And if they be bound in fetters, and if they be entangled in the cords of affliction:
If they are bound in chains and trapped in cords of suffering,
9 Then doth he tell them of their work, and of their transgressions, when they had become strong.
then he reveals to them what they have done, and their transgressions and their pride.
10 And he openeth thus their ear to correction, and saith that they should return from wrong-doing.
He also opens their ears to his instruction, and commands them to turn back from iniquity.
11 If they hearken and serve [him], they will spend their days in happiness, and their years in pleasures.
If they listen to him and worship him, they will spend their days in prosperity, their years in contentment.
12 But if they hearken not, they will pass away through the sword, and they will perish in want of knowledge.
However, if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword; they will die because they have no knowledge.
13 But the hypocrites in heart persevere in wrath; they will not offer entreaty when he bindeth them:
Those who are godless in heart store up their anger; they do not cry out for help even when God ties them up.
14 Their soul will die in youth, and their life, among the incestuous.
They die in their youth; their lives end among the cultic prostitutes.
15 He delivereth the afflicted through his affliction, and openeth through oppression his ear.
God rescues afflicted people by means of their afflictions; he opens their ears by means of their oppression.
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.
Indeed, he would like to draw you out of distress into a broad place where there is no hardship and where your table would be set with food full of fatness.
17 But if thou art full of the judgment of the wicked: [divine] judgment and decree will support each other.
But you are full of judgment on wicked people; judgment and justice have laid hold of you.
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.
Do not let your anger entice you to mockery, or the greatness of a ransom to turn you aside.
19 Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold ore, nor all the highest forces of strength.
Can your wealth benefit you, so that you will not be in distress, or can all the force of your strength help you?
20 Desire then not eagerly the night, when nations pass away in their place.
Do not desire the night, to commit sin against others, when peoples are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, turn not thyself to wrong-doing, so that thou wouldst choose this because of [thy] affliction.
Be careful that you do not turn to sin because you are being tested by suffering so that you will stay away from sinning.
22 Behold, God is exalted by his power: who is an instructer like him?
See, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him?
23 Who hath given him a charge concerning his way? or who hath ever said, Thou hast acted unjustly?
Who has ever instructed him about his way? Who can ever say to him, 'You have committed unrighteousness?'
24 Reflect, that thou shouldst magnify his work, which [other] men have beheld.
Remember to praise his deeds, of which people have sung.
25 All men have looked at it [with astonishment]; the mortal gazeth at it from afar.
All people have looked on those deeds, but they see those deeds only from far away.
26 Behold, God is great, and we comprehend him not, the number of his years can truly not be searched out.
See, God is great, but we do not understand him well; the number of his years is incalculable.
27 For he taketh away drops of water, which are purified into rain in his mist:
For he draws up the drops of water that he distills as rain from his vapor,
28 These drop down out of the skies; they distil upon the multitude of men.
which the clouds pour down and drop in abundance on mankind.
29 But [what man] can understand the outspreadings of the clouds? the tumult of his tabernacle?
Indeed, can anyone understand the extensive spread of the clouds and the thunder from his hut?
30 Behold, he spreadeth out over it his light, and covereth up the roots of the sea.
See, he spreads his lightning around him and covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by means of them he judgeth nations, he giveth food in superfluity.
In this way he judges the peoples and gives food in abundance.
32 [His] hands he covereth with light; and he commandeth it to strike the one who striveth against him.
He fills his hands with the lightning until he commands it to strike its mark.
33 The noise of his storm telleth of it, yea, the cattle also, of the rising tempest.
Its thunder warns of the storm, the cattle can also hear it is coming.
