< Job 36 >

1 Elihu continued on and said,
And Elius further continued, 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.
Wait for me yet a little while, that I may teach you: for there is yet speech in me.
3 I will obtain my knowledge from far off; I will acknowledge that righteousness belongs to my Maker.
Having fetched my knowledge from afar, and according to my works,
4 For indeed, my words will not be false; someone who is mature in knowledge is with you.
I will speak just things truly, and you shall not unjustly receive unjust words.
5 See, God is mighty, and despises no one; he is mighty in strength of understanding.
But know that the Lord will not cast off an innocent man: being mighty in strength of wisdom,
6 He does not preserve the life of wicked people but instead does what is right for those who suffer.
he will not by any means save alive the ungodly: and he will grant the judgment of 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 will not turn away his eyes from the righteous, but [they shall be] with kings on the throne: and he will establish them in triumph, and they shall be exalted.
8 If they are bound in chains and trapped in cords of suffering,
But they that are bound in fetters shall be holden in cords of poverty.
9 then he reveals to them what they have done, and their transgressions and their pride.
And he shall recount to them their works, and their transgressions, for such will act with violence.
10 He also opens their ears to his instruction, and commands them to turn back from iniquity.
But he will listen to the righteous: and he has said that they shall turn from unrighteousness.
11 If they listen to him and worship him, they will spend their days in prosperity, their years in contentment.
If they should hear and serve [him], they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in honor.
12 However, if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword; they will die because they have no knowledge.
But he preserves not the ungodly; because they are not willing to know the Lord, and because when reproved they were disobedient.
13 Those who are godless in heart store up their anger; they do not cry out for help even when God ties them up.
And the hypocrites in heart will array wrath [against themselves]; they will not cry, because he has bound them.
14 They die in their youth; their lives end among the cultic prostitutes.
Therefore let their soul die in youth, and their life be wounded by messengers [of death].
15 God rescues afflicted people by means of their afflictions; he opens their ears by means of their oppression.
Because they afflicted the weak and helpless: and he will vindicate the judgment of the meek.
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.
And he has also enticed you out of the mouth of the enemy:
17 But you are full of judgment on wicked people; judgment and justice have laid hold of you.
[there is] a deep gulf [and] a rushing stream beneath it, and your table came down full of fatness. Judgment shall not fail from the righteous;
18 Do not let your anger entice you to mockery, or the greatness of a ransom to turn you aside.
but there shall be wrath upon the ungodly, by reason of the ungodliness of the bribes which they received for iniquities.
19 Can your wealth benefit you, so that you will not be in distress, or can all the force of your strength help you?
Let not [your] mind willingly turn you aside from the petition of the feeble that are in distress.
20 Do not desire the night, to commit sin against others, when peoples are cut off in their place.
And draw not forth all the mighty [men] by night, so that the people should go up instead of them.
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.
But take heed lest you do that which is wrong: for of this you has made choice because of poverty.
22 See, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him?
Behold, the Mighty One shall prevail by his strength: for who is powerful as he is?
23 Who has ever instructed him about his way? Who can ever say to him, 'You have committed unrighteousness?'
And who is he that examines his works? or who can say, he has wrought injustice?
24 Remember to praise his deeds, of which people have sung.
Remember that his works are great [beyond] those which men have attempted.
25 All people have looked on those deeds, but they see those deeds only from far away.
Every man has seen in himself, how many mortals are wounded.
26 See, God is great, but we do not understand him well; the number of his years is incalculable.
Behold, the Mighty One is great, and we shall not know [him]: the number of his years is even infinite.
27 For he draws up the drops of water that he distills as rain from his vapor,
And the drops of rain are numbered by him, and shall be poured out in rain to form a cloud.
28 which the clouds pour down and drop in abundance on mankind.
The ancient [heavens] shall flow, and the clouds overshadow innumerable mortals: he has fixed a time to cattle, and they know the order of rest. [Yet] by all these things your understanding is not astonished, neither is your mind disturbed in [your] body.
29 Indeed, can anyone understand the extensive spread of the clouds and the thunder from his hut?
And though one should understand the outspreadings of the clouds, [or] the measure of his tabernacle;
30 See, he spreads his lightning around him and covers the roots of the sea.
behold he will stretch his bow against him, and he covers the bottom of the sea.
31 In this way he judges the peoples and gives food in abundance.
For by them he will judge the nations: he will give food to him that has strength.
32 He fills his hands with the lightning until he commands it to strike its mark.
He has hidden the light in [his] hands, and given charge concerning it to the interposing [cloud].
33 Its thunder warns of the storm, the cattle can also hear it is coming.
The Lord will declare concerning this [to] his friend: [but there is] a portion also for unrighteousness.

< Job 36 >