< 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, and I will show thee that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.
3 I lift up my knowledge from afar, And I ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
I will bring my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For my words [are] truly not false, The perfect in knowledge [is] with you.
For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 Behold, God [is] mighty, and does not despise, Mighty [in] power [and] heart.
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
6 He does not revive the wicked, And appoints the judgment of the poor;
He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.
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 with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.
8 And if prisoners in chains They are captured with cords of affliction,
And if they are bound in fetters, and are held in cords of affliction;
9 Then He declares to them their work, And their transgressions, Because they have become mighty,
Then he showeth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
10 And He uncovers their ear for instruction, And commands that they turn back from iniquity.
He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they 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 shall 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 shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
13 And the profane in heart set the face, They do not cry when He has bound them.
But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.
14 Their soul dies in youth, And their life among the defiled.
They die in youth, and their life is among the sodomites.
15 He draws out the afflicted in his affliction, And uncovers their ear in oppression.
He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
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.
Even so would he have removed thee out of distress into a broad place, where there is no restraint; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
17 And you have fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, Judgment and justice are upheld because of fury,
But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.
18 Lest He move you with a stroke, And the abundance of an atonement not turn you aside.
Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.
19 Does He value your riches? He has gold, and all the forces of power.
Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.
20 Do not desire the night, For the going up of peoples in their stead.
Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed—do not turn to iniquity, For you have fixed on this Rather than [on] affliction.
Take heed, regard not 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 exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?
23 Who has appointed to Him His way? And who said, You have done iniquity?
Who hath directed him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?
24 Remember that you magnify His work That men have beheld.
Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.
25 All men have looked on it, Man looks attentively from afar.
Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.
26 Behold, God [is] high, And we do not know the number of His years, Indeed, there [is] no searching.
Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
27 When He diminishes droppings of the waters, They refine rain according to its vapor,
For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour of it:
28 Which clouds drop, They distill on man abundantly.
Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
29 Indeed, do [any] understand The spreadings out of a cloud? The noises of His dwelling place?
Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
30 Behold, He has spread His light over it, And He has covered the roots of the sea,
Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
31 For He judges peoples by them, He gives food in abundance.
For by them he judgeth the people; he giveth food in abundance.
32 By two palms He has covered the light, And lays a charge over it in meeting,
With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh between.
33 His shout shows it, The livestock also, the rising [storm].”
The noise of it showeth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.