Job 36
1 Elihu continued on and said,
Elihu also proceeded, and said,
2 “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.
Suffer me a little, and I will show you that I have yet to speak on God's behalf.
3 I will obtain my knowledge from far off; I will acknowledge that righteousness belongs to my Maker.
I will fetch my knowledge from far, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For indeed, my words will not be false; someone who is mature in knowledge is with you.
For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 See, God is mighty, and despises no one; he is mighty in strength of understanding.
Behold, God is mighty, and despises not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
6 He does not preserve the life of wicked people but instead does what is right for those who suffer.
He perserves not the life of the wicked: but gives right to the poor.
7 He does not withdraw his eyes from righteous people but instead sets them on thrones like kings forever, and they are lifted up.
He withdraws not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he does establish them for ever, and they are exalted.
8 If they are bound in chains and trapped in cords of suffering,
And if they be bound in fetters, and be held in cords of affliction;
9 then he reveals to them what they have done, and their transgressions and their pride.
Then he shows them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
10 He also opens their ears to his instruction, and commands them to turn back from iniquity.
He opens also their ear to discipline, and commands that they return from iniquity.
11 If they listen to him and worship him, they will spend their days in prosperity, their years in contentment.
If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 However, if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword; they will die because they have no knowledge.
But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
13 Those who are godless in heart store up their anger; they do not cry out for help even when God ties them up.
But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he binds them.
14 They die in their youth; their lives end among the cultic prostitutes.
They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
15 God rescues afflicted people by means of their afflictions; he opens their ears by means of their oppression.
He delivers the poor in his affliction, and opens their ears in oppression.
16 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.
Even so would he have removed you out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no strictness; and that which should be set on your table should be full of fatness.
17 But you are full of judgment on wicked people; judgment and justice have laid hold of you.
But you have fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on you.
18 Do not let your anger entice you to mockery, or the greatness of a ransom to turn you aside.
Because there is wrath, beware lest he take you away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver you.
19 Can your wealth benefit you, so that you will not be in distress, or can all the force of your strength help you?
Will he esteem your riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.
20 Do not desire the night, to commit sin against others, when peoples are cut off in their place.
Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
21 Be careful that you do not turn to sin because you are being tested by suffering so that you will stay away from sinning.
Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this have you chosen rather than affliction.
22 See, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him?
Behold, God exalts by his power: who teaches like him?
23 Who has ever instructed him about his way? Who can ever say to him, 'You have committed unrighteousness?'
Who has commanded with authority him his way? or who can say, You have wrought iniquity?
24 Remember to praise his deeds, of which people have sung.
Remember that you magnify his work, which men behold.
25 All people have looked on those deeds, but they see those deeds only from far away.
Every man may see it; man may behold it far off.
26 See, God is great, but we do not understand him well; the number of his years is incalculable.
Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
27 For he draws up the drops of water that he distills as rain from his vapor,
For he makes small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:
28 which the clouds pour down and drop in abundance on mankind.
Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
29 Indeed, can anyone understand the extensive spread of the clouds and the thunder from his hut?
Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
30 See, he spreads his lightning around him and covers the roots of the sea.
Behold, he spreads his light upon it, and covers the bottom of the sea.
31 In this way he judges the peoples and gives food in abundance.
For by them judges he the people; he gives food in abundance.
32 He fills his hands with the lightning until he commands it to strike its mark.
With clouds he covers the light; and commands it not to shine by the cloud that comes between.
33 Its thunder warns of the storm, the cattle can also hear it is coming.
The noise thereof shows concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
