Job 36
1 Elihu also proceeded, and said,
Elihu [finished by] saying this:
2 Bear with me a little, and I will show thee that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.
“[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].
3 I will bring my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
I will tell you what I have learned from many sources, in order to show that God, my creator, is just/fair.
4 For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
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].
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
“Hey, God is [very] powerful, and he does not despise anyone, and he understands everything.
6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.
He does not allow wicked people to remain alive, and he always acts justly toward those who are poor.
7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.
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.
8 And if they are bound in fetters, and are held in cords of affliction;
But if people [who commit crimes] are caught, they [are thrown into prison and] are caused to suffer by being fastened with chains.
9 Then he showeth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
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.
10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
He causes them to listen [MTY] to what he is warning them, and he commands them to turn away from [doing what is] evil.
11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
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.
12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
But if they do not (listen/pay attention) to him, they will die violently, not knowing [why God is causing them to die].
13 But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.
“Godless/Wicked people continue being angry, and they do not cry out for help, [even] when God is punishing them.
14 They die in youth, and their life is among the sodomites.
They die while they are still young, disgraced because of their very immoral behavior [EUP].
15 He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
But God teaches people by causing them to suffer; by afflicting them, he causes them to listen to [MTY] what he is telling them.
16 Even so would he have removed thee out of distress into a broad place, where there is no restraint; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
“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.
17 But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.
But now, you are being punished [MTY] as wicked people are punished; [God] [PRS] has been punishing you (justly/as you deserve).
18 Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.
So be careful that you are not deceived by [desiring to acquire] money or that you are not ruined by [accepting] large bribes.
19 Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.
[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.
20 Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
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!
21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
Be careful not to [begin doing] evil things, because [God] has caused you to suffer to prevent you from doing evil.
22 Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?
“Hey, God is extremely powerful; there is certainly [RHQ] no teacher who teaches like he does.
23 Who hath directed him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?
No one has [RHQ] told him what he should do, and no one has [RHQ] said to him, ‘You have done what is wrong!’
24 Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.
People have [always] sung to praise him, so you also should never forget to praise him for what he has done.
25 Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.
Everyone has seen [what he has done], but [sometimes] we can see it only from far away.
26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
“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.
27 For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour of it:
He draws water up [from the earth and puts it in clouds] and causes it to become rain.
28 Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
The rain pours down from the sky/clouds; God causes abundant showers to fall on everyone.
29 Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
No one can [RHQ] understand how the clouds move [across the sky] or how it thunders in the sky where God lives.
30 Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
He causes lightning to flash all around him, but he causes the bottom of the oceans to remain dark.
31 For by them he judgeth the people; he giveth food in abundance.
By providing plenty of rain for us, he enables us to have abundant food.
32 With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh between.
[It is as though] he holds the lightning in his hands, and [then] he commands it to strike where he wants it to.
33 The noise of it showeth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
When we hear his thunder, we know that there will be a storm, and the cattle know it, too.”
