Job 36
1 And Elihu adds and says:
Elihu also proceeded, and said:
2 “Honor me a little, and I show you, That yet for God [are] words.
Bear with me a little while, that I may show thee! For I have yet words in behalf of God.
3 I lift up my knowledge from afar, And I ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
I will bring my knowledge from afar, And assert the justice of my Maker.
4 For my words [are] truly not false, The perfect in knowledge [is] with you.
Truly my words shall not be false: A man of sound knowledge is before thee.
5 Behold, God [is] mighty, and does not despise, Mighty [in] power [and] heart.
Behold, God is great, but despiseth not any; Great is he in strength of understanding.
6 He does not revive the wicked, And appoints the judgment of the poor;
He suffereth not the wicked to prosper, But rendereth justice to the oppressed.
7 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,
He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous; But establisheth them for ever with kings on the throne, That they may be exalted.
8 And if prisoners in chains They are captured with cords of affliction,
And if they be bound in fetters, And holden in the cords of affliction,
9 Then He declares to them their work, And their transgressions, Because they have become mighty,
Then showeth he them their deeds, And how they have set him at defiance by their transgressions;
10 And He uncovers their ear for instruction, And commands that they turn back from iniquity.
He also openeth their ears to admonition, And commandeth them to return from iniquity.
11 If they hear and serve, They complete their days in good, And their years in pleasantness.
If they obey and serve him, They spend their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures.
12 And if they do not listen, They pass away by the dart, And expire without knowledge.
But if they obey not, they perish by the sword; They die in their own folly.
13 And the profane in heart set the face, They do not cry when He has bound them.
The corrupt in heart treasure up wrath; They cry not to God, when he bindeth them.
14 Their soul dies in youth, And their life among the defiled.
They die in their youth; They close their lives with the unclean.
15 He draws out the afflicted in his affliction, And uncovers their ear in oppression.
But he delivereth the poor in their distress; He openeth their ears in affliction.
16 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.
He will bring thee also from the jaws of distress To a broad place, where is no straitness; And the provision of thy table shall be full of fatness.
17 And you have fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, Judgment and justice are upheld because of fury,
But if thou art full of the judgment of the wicked, Judgment and justice shall take hold of thee.
18 Lest He move you with a stroke, And the abundance of an atonement not turn you aside.
For if wrath be with him, beware lest he take thee away by his stroke, So that a great ransom shall not save thee!
19 Does He value your riches? He has gold, and all the forces of power.
Will he esteem thy riches? No! neither thy gold, nor all the abundance of thy wealth.
20 Do not desire the night, For the going up of peoples in their stead.
Long not thou for that night To which nations are taken away from their place.
21 Take heed—do not turn to iniquity, For you have fixed on this Rather than [on] affliction.
Take heed, turn not thine eyes to iniquity! For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God sits on high by His power, Who [is] like Him—a teacher?
Behold, God is exalted in his power: Who is a teacher like him?
23 Who has appointed to Him His way? And who said, You have done iniquity?
Who hath prescribed to him his way? Or who can say to him, “Thou hast done wrong”?
24 Remember that you magnify His work That men have beheld.
Forget not to magnify his work, Which men celebrate with songs.
25 All men have looked on it, Man looks attentively from afar.
All mankind gaze upon it; Mortals behold it from afar.
26 Behold, God [is] high, And we do not know the number of His years, Indeed, there [is] no searching.
Behold, God is great; we cannot know him, Nor search out the number of his years.
27 When He diminishes droppings of the waters, They refine rain according to its vapor,
Lo! he draweth up the drops of water, Which distil rain from his vapor;
28 Which clouds drop, They distill on man abundantly.
The clouds pour it down, And drop it upon man in abundance.
29 Indeed, do [any] understand The spreadings out of a cloud? The noises of His dwelling place?
Who can understand the spreading of his clouds, And the rattling of his pavilion?
30 Behold, He has spread His light over it, And He has covered the roots of the sea,
Behold, he spreadeth around himself his light, And he clotheth himself with the depths of the sea.
31 For He judges peoples by them, He gives food in abundance.
By these he punisheth nations, And by these he giveth food in abundance.
32 By two palms He has covered the light, And lays a charge over it in meeting,
His hands he covereth with lightning; He giveth it commandment against an enemy.
33 His shout shows it, The livestock also, the rising [storm].”
His thunder maketh him known; Yea, to the herds, as he ascendeth on high.
