Job 36
1 And Elihu adds and says:
Elihu also continued, 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 you; for I still have something to say on God’s behalf.
3 I lift up my knowledge from afar, And I ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
I will get 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 are not false. One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 Behold, God [is] mighty, and does not despise, Mighty [in] power [and] heart.
“Behold, God is mighty, and doesn’t despise anyone. He is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not revive the wicked, And appoints the judgment of the poor;
He doesn’t preserve the life of the wicked, but gives justice to the afflicted.
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 doesn’t withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne, he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
8 And if prisoners in chains They are captured with cords of affliction,
If they are bound in fetters, and are taken in the cords of afflictions,
9 Then He declares to them their work, And their transgressions, Because they have become mighty,
then he shows them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
10 And He uncovers their ear for instruction, And commands that they turn back from iniquity.
He also opens their ears to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity.
11 If they hear and serve, They complete their days in good, And their years in pleasantness.
If they listen and serve him, they will 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 don’t listen, they will perish by the sword; they will die without knowledge.
13 And the profane in heart set the face, They do not cry when He has bound them.
“But those who are godless in heart lay up anger. They don’t cry for help when he binds them.
14 Their soul dies in youth, And their life among the defiled.
They die in youth. Their life perishes among the unclean.
15 He draws out the afflicted in his affliction, And uncovers their ear in oppression.
He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear 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.
Yes, he would have allured you out of distress, into a wide place, where there is no restriction. That which is set on your table would be full of fatness.
17 And you have fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, Judgment and justice are upheld because of fury,
“But you are full of the judgment of the wicked. Judgment and justice take hold of you.
18 Lest He move you with a stroke, And the abundance of an atonement not turn you aside.
Don’t let riches entice you to wrath, neither let the great size of a bribe turn you aside.
19 Does He value your riches? He has gold, and all the forces of power.
Would your wealth sustain you in distress, or all the might of your strength?
20 Do not desire the night, For the going up of peoples in their stead.
Don’t desire 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, don’t regard iniquity; for you have chosen this 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 has prescribed his way for him? Or who can say, ‘You have committed unrighteousness’?
24 Remember that you magnify His work That men have beheld.
“Remember that you magnify his work, about which men have sung.
25 All men have looked on it, Man looks attentively from afar.
All men have looked on it. Man sees 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 don’t know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.
27 When He diminishes droppings of the waters, They refine rain according to its vapor,
For he draws up the drops of water, which distill in rain from his vapor,
28 Which clouds drop, They distill on man abundantly.
which the skies pour down and which drop on man abundantly.
29 Indeed, do [any] understand The spreadings out of a cloud? The noises of His dwelling place?
Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunderings of his pavilion?
30 Behold, He has spread His light over it, And He has covered the roots of the sea,
Behold, he spreads his light around him. He covers the bottom of the sea.
31 For He judges peoples by them, He gives food in abundance.
For by these he judges the people. He gives food in abundance.
32 By two palms He has covered the light, And lays a charge over it in meeting,
He covers his hands with the lightning, and commands it to strike the mark.
33 His shout shows it, The livestock also, the rising [storm].”
Its noise tells about him, and the livestock also, concerning the storm that comes up.
