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.
Bear with me a little while, that I may show thee! For I have yet words in behalf of God.
3 I will obtain my knowledge from far off; I will acknowledge that righteousness belongs to my Maker.
I will bring my knowledge from afar, And assert the justice of my Maker.
4 For indeed, my words will not be false; someone who is mature in knowledge is with you.
Truly my words shall not be false: A man of sound knowledge is before thee.
5 See, God is mighty, and despises no one; he is mighty in strength of understanding.
Behold, God is great, but despiseth not any; Great is he in strength of understanding.
6 He does not preserve the life of wicked people but instead does what is right for those who suffer.
He suffereth not the wicked to prosper, But rendereth justice to the oppressed.
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 withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous; But establisheth them for ever with kings on the throne, That they may be exalted.
8 If they are bound in chains and trapped in cords of suffering,
And if they be bound in fetters, And holden in the cords of affliction,
9 then he reveals to them what they have done, and their transgressions and their pride.
Then showeth he them their deeds, And how they have set him at defiance by their transgressions;
10 He also opens their ears to his instruction, and commands them to turn back from iniquity.
He also openeth their ears to admonition, And commandeth them to 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 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 perish by the sword; They die in their own folly.
13 Those who are godless in heart store up their anger; they do not cry out for help even when God ties them up.
The corrupt in heart treasure up wrath; They cry not to God, when he bindeth them.
14 They die in their youth; their lives end among the cultic prostitutes.
They die in their youth; They close their lives with the unclean.
15 God rescues afflicted people by means of their afflictions; he opens their ears by means of their oppression.
But he delivereth the poor in their distress; He openeth their ears in affliction.
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.
He will bring thee also from the jaws of distress To a broad place, where is no straitness; And the provision of thy table shall be full of fatness.
17 But you are full of judgment on wicked people; judgment and justice have laid hold of you.
But if thou art full of the judgment of the wicked, Judgment and justice shall take hold of thee.
18 Do not let your anger entice you to mockery, or the greatness of a ransom to turn you aside.
For if wrath be with him, beware lest he take thee away by his stroke, So that a great ransom shall not save thee!
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 thy riches? No! neither thy gold, nor all the abundance of thy wealth.
20 Do not desire the night, to commit sin against others, when peoples are cut off in their place.
Long not thou for that night To which nations are taken away from 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, turn not thine eyes to iniquity! For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 See, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him?
Behold, God is exalted in his power: Who is a teacher like him?
23 Who has ever instructed him about his way? Who can ever say to him, 'You have committed unrighteousness?'
Who hath prescribed to him his way? Or who can say to him, “Thou hast done wrong”?
24 Remember to praise his deeds, of which people have sung.
Forget not to magnify his work, Which men celebrate with songs.
25 All people have looked on those deeds, but they see those deeds only from far away.
All mankind gaze upon it; Mortals behold it from afar.
26 See, God is great, but we do not understand him well; the number of his years is incalculable.
Behold, God is great; we cannot know him, Nor search out the number of his years.
27 For he draws up the drops of water that he distills as rain from his vapor,
Lo! he draweth up the drops of water, Which distil rain from his vapor;
28 which the clouds pour down and drop in abundance on mankind.
The clouds pour it down, And drop it upon man in abundance.
29 Indeed, can anyone understand the extensive spread of the clouds and the thunder from his hut?
Who can understand the spreading of his clouds, And the rattling of his pavilion?
30 See, he spreads his lightning around him and covers the roots of the sea.
Behold, he spreadeth around himself his light, And he clotheth himself with the depths of the sea.
31 In this way he judges the peoples and gives food in abundance.
By these he punisheth nations, And by these he giveth food in abundance.
32 He fills his hands with the lightning until he commands it to strike its mark.
His hands he covereth with lightning; He giveth it commandment against an enemy.
33 Its thunder warns of the storm, the cattle can also hear it is coming.
His thunder maketh him known; Yea, to the herds, as he ascendeth on high.
