Job 36
1 And Elihu addeth and saith: —
Elihu continued speaking.
2 Honour me a little, and I shew thee, That yet for God [are] words.
“Be patient with me just a little while longer and let me explain. I still have something to say on God's behalf.
3 I lift up my knowledge from afar, And to my Maker I ascribe righteousness.
I will share my extensive knowledge, and I will prove my Creator is in the right.
4 For, truly, my words [are] not false, The perfect in knowledge [is] with thee.
I assure you that what I'm saying are not lies, for I am a man whose knowledge is of the highest order.
5 Lo, God [is] mighty, and despiseth not, Mighty [in] power [and] heart.
God is mighty, but doesn't despise anyone; he is powerful in strength and understanding.
6 He reviveth not the wicked, And the judgment of the poor appointeth;
He does not keep the wicked alive, but gives justice to the oppressed.
7 He withdraweth not from the righteous His eyes, And [from] kings on the throne, And causeth them to sit for ever, and they are high,
He always pays attention those who do right, and places them on thrones with kings, honoring them eternally.
8 And if prisoners in fetters They are captured with cords of affliction,
If they are bound in chains, tied down by ropes of suffering,
9 Then He declareth to them their work, And their transgressions, Because they have become mighty,
then he explains to them what they've done—their arrogant sins.
10 And He uncovereth their ear for instruction, And saith that they turn back from iniquity.
He makes them pay attention and orders them to stop sinning.
11 If they do hear and serve, They complete their days in good, And their years in pleasantness.
If they listen and do what God says they will live out their lives in happiness.
12 And if they do not hearken, By the dart they pass away, And expire without knowledge.
But if they do not listen they will die a violent death, ignorant of God.
13 And the profane in heart set the face, They cry not when He hath bound them.
Those who reject God hold on to their bitterness. Even when he disciplines them they do not cry out to him for help.
14 Their soul dieth in youth, And their life among the defiled.
They die in their youth; their lives end among the male temple prostitutes.
15 He draweth out the afflicted in his affliction, And uncovereth in oppression their ear.
Through suffering God saves those who suffer; he gets their attention through their troubles.
16 And also He moved thee from a strait place, [To] a broad place — no straitness under it, And the sitting beyond of thy table Hath been full of fatness.
God is trying to rescue you from the jaws of trouble to a place of freedom and safety, filling your table full of the very best food.
17 And the judgment of the wicked thou hast fulfilled, Judgment and justice are upheld — because of fury,
But you are preoccupied with the fate of the wicked; judgment and justice fill your mind.
18 Lest He move thee with a stroke, And the abundance of an atonement turn thee not aside.
But be careful that your anger doesn't seduce you into mockery; and don't let the size of the ‘bribe’ lead you into sin.
19 Doth He value thy riches? He hath gold, and all the forces of power.
Will your cry for help sustain you when troubles come?
20 Desire not the night, For the going up of peoples in their stead.
Do not long for the night when people are suddenly taken away.
21 Take heed — do not turn unto iniquity, For on this thou hast fixed Rather than [on] affliction.
Watch out that you don't turn to evil! For it's because of this that you are being tested through suffering.
22 Lo, God doth sit on high by His power, Who [is] like Him — a teacher?
Look how much power God has! What teacher is like him?
23 Who hath appointed unto Him his way? And who said, 'Thou hast done iniquity?'
Who has instructed him what to do? Who can say to him ‘You have done wrong’?
24 Remember that thou magnify His work That men have beheld.
Instead you should praise him for what he has done, as people have done in song.
25 All men have looked on it, Man looketh attentively from afar.
Everyone has seen God's creation, though only from a distance.
26 Lo, God [is] high, And we know not the number of His years, Yea, there [is] no searching.
See how great God is—more than we can understand! No one can count his years.
27 When He doth diminish droppings of the waters, They refine rain according to its vapour,
He draws up the water and distils it into the dew and the rain.
28 Which clouds do drop, They distil on man abundantly.
The clouds pour down rain, falling plentifully on humankind.
29 Yea, doth [any] understand The spreadings out of a cloud? The noises of His tabernacle?
Can anyone understand how the clouds spread out, or how thunder roars from where he lives?
30 Lo, He hath spread over it His light, And the roots of the sea He hath covered,
See how he scatters lightning around him, and covers the depths of the sea in darkness.
31 For by them He doth judge peoples, He giveth food in abundance.
By these actions he rules the people, he provides abundant food.
32 By two palms He hath covered the light, And layeth a charge over it in meeting,
He holds lightning in his hands and commands where it should strike.
33 He sheweth by it [to] his friend substance, Anger against perversity.
Thunder declares his presence—even cattle know when a storm is coming.
