Job 36
1 Elihu [finished by] saying this:
And Elihu continued:
2 “[Job, ] be patient with me a little longer, because I have something else to teach you. I have something else to say that God [wants you to know].
“Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you that there is more to be said on God’s behalf.
3 I will tell you what I have learned from many sources, in order to show that God, my creator, is just/fair.
I get my knowledge from afar, and I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
4 I am not saying anything to you that is false; I, who am standing in front of you, am someone who understands things (very well/perfectly) [HYP].
For truly my words are free of falsehood; one perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 “Hey, God is [very] powerful, and he does not despise anyone, and he understands everything.
Indeed, God is mighty, but He despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not allow wicked people to remain alive, and he always acts justly toward those who are poor.
He does not keep the wicked alive, but He grants justice to the afflicted.
7 He always watches over [MTY] those who are righteous; he allows them to sit on thrones [and rule] with kings, and they are honored forever.
He does not take His eyes off the righteous, but He enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.
8 But if people [who commit crimes] are caught, they [are thrown into prison and] are caused to suffer by being fastened with chains.
And if men are bound with chains, caught in cords of affliction,
9 When that happens, God shows them what they have done; he shows them the sins that they have committed, and he shows them that they have been proud/arrogant.
then He tells them their deeds and how arrogantly they have transgressed.
10 He causes them to listen [MTY] to what he is warning them, and he commands them to turn away from [doing what is] evil.
He opens their ears to correction and commands that they turn from iniquity.
11 If they (listen to/heed) him and serve him, [after they get out of prison] they will prosper for all the years that they are alive and be peaceful/happy.
If they obey and serve Him, then they end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness.
12 But if they do not (listen/pay attention) to him, they will die violently, not knowing [why God is causing them to die].
But if they do not obey, then they perish by the sword and die without knowledge.
13 “Godless/Wicked people continue being angry, and they do not cry out for help, [even] when God is punishing them.
The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when He binds them, they do not cry for help.
14 They die while they are still young, disgraced because of their very immoral behavior [EUP].
They die in their youth, among the male shrine prostitutes.
15 But God teaches people by causing them to suffer; by afflicting them, he causes them to listen to [MTY] what he is telling them.
God rescues the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ears in oppression.
16 “And Job, [I think that] God [wants to] bring you out of your troubles and allow you to live without distress; he wants your table to be full of very nice food.
Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and broad place, to a table full of richness.
17 But now, you are being punished [MTY] as wicked people are punished; [God] [PRS] has been punishing you (justly/as you deserve).
But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have seized you.
18 So be careful that you are not deceived by [desiring to acquire] money or that you are not ruined by [accepting] large bribes.
Be careful that no one lures you with riches; do not let a large bribe lead you astray.
19 [If you are deceived by those things, ] it certainly will not [RHQ] help you to cry out when you are distressed; all of your strength will not help you.
Can your wealth or all your mighty effort keep you from distress?
20 Do not wish that it would be nighttime [in order that God will not see you and punish you], because night is the time when [even] people-groups are destroyed!
Do not long for the night, when people vanish from their homes.
21 Be careful not to [begin doing] evil things, because [God] has caused you to suffer to prevent you from doing evil.
Be careful not to turn to iniquity, for this you have preferred to affliction.
22 “Hey, God is extremely powerful; there is certainly [RHQ] no teacher who teaches like he does.
Behold, God is exalted in His power. Who is a teacher like Him?
23 No one has [RHQ] told him what he should do, and no one has [RHQ] said to him, ‘You have done what is wrong!’
Who has appointed His way for Him, or told Him, ‘You have done wrong’?
24 People have [always] sung to praise him, so you also should never forget to praise him for what he has done.
Remember to magnify His work, which men have praised in song.
25 Everyone has seen [what he has done], but [sometimes] we can see it only from far away.
All mankind has seen it; men behold it from afar.
26 “Hey, God is very great, and we are not able to know how great he is, and we do not know how old he is.
Indeed, God is great—beyond our knowledge; the number of His years is unsearchable.
27 He draws water up [from the earth and puts it in clouds] and causes it to become rain.
For He draws up drops of water which distill the rain from the mist,
28 The rain pours down from the sky/clouds; God causes abundant showers to fall on everyone.
which the clouds pour out and shower abundantly on mankind.
29 No one can [RHQ] understand how the clouds move [across the sky] or how it thunders in the sky where God lives.
Furthermore, who can understand how the clouds spread out, how the thunder roars from His pavilion?
30 He causes lightning to flash all around him, but he causes the bottom of the oceans to remain dark.
See how He scatters His lightning around Him and covers the depths of the sea.
31 By providing plenty of rain for us, he enables us to have abundant food.
For by these He judges the nations and provides food in abundance.
32 [It is as though] he holds the lightning in his hands, and [then] he commands it to strike where he wants it to.
He fills His hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.
33 When we hear his thunder, we know that there will be a storm, and the cattle know it, too.”
The thunder declares His presence; even the cattle regard the rising storm.
