איוב 36

1 ויסף אליהוא ויאמר

Elihu also proceeded, and said,

2 כתר-לי זעיר ואחוך כי עוד לאלוה מלים

Allow me a little, and I will show thee. For I have yet somewhat to say on God's behalf.

3 אשא דעי למרחוק ולפעלי אתן-צדק

I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my maker.

4 כי-אמנם לא-שקר מלי תמים דעות עמך

(For truly my words are not false.) He who is perfect in knowledge is with thee.

5 הן-אל כביר ולא ימאס כביר כח לב

Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise. He is mighty in strength of understanding.

6 לא-יחיה רשע ומשפט עניים יתן

He does not preserve the life of the wicked, but gives to the afflicted their right.

7 לא-יגרע מצדיק עיניו ואת-מלכים לכסא וישיבם לנצח ויגבהו

He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but he sets them forever with kings upon the throne, and they are exalted.

8 ואם-אסורים בזקים ילכדון בחבלי-עני

And if they be bound in fetters, and be taken in the cords of afflictions,

9 ויגד להם פעלם ופשעיהם כי יתגברו

then he shows them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.

10 ויגל אזנם למוסר ויאמר כי-ישובון מאון

He also opens their ear to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity.

11 אם-ישמעו ויעבדו יכלו ימיהם בטוב ושניהם בנעימים

If they hearken and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

12 ואם-לא ישמעו בשלח יעברו ויגועו בבלי-דעת

But if they do not hearken, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.

13 וחנפי-לב ישימו אף לא ישועו כי אסרם

But those who are godless in heart lay up anger. They do not cry for help when he binds them.

14 תמת בנער נפשם וחיתם בקדשים

They die in youth, and their life perishes among the unclean.

15 יחלץ עני בעניו ויגל בלחץ אזנם

He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear in oppression.

16 ואף הסיתך מפי-צר-- רחב לא-מוצק תחתיה ונחת שלחנך מלא דשן

Yea, he would have allured thee out of distress into a broad place, where there is no confinement, and that which is set on thy table would be full of fatness.

17 ודין-רשע מלאת דין ומשפט יתמכו

But thou have fulfilled the judgment of the wicked. Judgment and justice take hold,

18 כי-חמה פן-יסיתך בספק ורב-כפר אל-יטך

and there shall be wrath upon the impious because of the ungodliness of bribes which the unrighteous receive.

19 היערך שועך לא בצר וכל מאמצי-כח

Will thy cry not avail in distress, or all the forces of strength?

20 אל-תשאף הלילה-- לעלות עמים תחתם

Do not desire the night, when peoples are cut off in their place.

21 השמר אל-תפן אל-און כי-על-זה בחרת מעני

Take heed. Do not turn to iniquity, for thou have fixed on this because of affliction.

22 הן-אל ישגיב בכחו מי כמהו מורה

Behold, God does loftily in his power. Who is a teacher like him?

23 מי-פקד עליו דרכו ומי-אמר פעלת עולה

Who has enjoined him his way? Or who can say, Thou have wrought unrighteousness?

24 זכר כי-תשגיא פעלו-- אשר שררו אנשים

Remember that thou magnify his work, of which men have sung.

25 כל-אדם חזו-בו אנוש יביט מרחוק

All men have looked on it. Man beholds it afar off.

26 הן-אל שגיא ולא נדע מספר שניו ולא-חקר

Behold, God is great, and we do not know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.

27 כי יגרע נטפי-מים יזקו מטר לאדו

For he draws up the drops of water, which distil in rain from his vapor,

28 אשר-יזלו שחקים ירעפו עלי אדם רב

which the skies pour down and drop upon man abundantly.

29 אף אם-יבין מפרשי-עב תשאות סכתו

Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion?

30 הן-פרש עליו אורו ושרשי הים כסה

Behold, he spreads his light around him, and he covers the bottom of the sea.

31 כי-בם ידין עמים יתן-אכל למכביר

For by these he judges the peoples. He gives food in abundance.

32 על-כפים כסה-אור ויצו עליה במפגיע

He covers his hands with the lightning, and gives it a command that it strike the mark.

33 יגיד עליו רעו מקנה אף על-עולה

The noise of it tells concerning him. The cattle also concerning the storm that comes up.