Job 36
1 Elihu also continued, and said,
Elihu continued on and said,
2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you; for I still have something to say on God’s behalf.
“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.
3 I will get my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
I will obtain my knowledge from far off; I will acknowledge that righteousness belongs to my Maker.
4 For truly my words are not false. One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
For indeed, my words will not be false; someone who is mature in knowledge is with you.
5 “Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise anyone. He is mighty in strength of understanding.
See, God is mighty, and despises no one; he is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not preserve the life of the wicked, but gives justice to the afflicted.
He does not preserve the life of wicked people but instead does what is right for those who suffer.
7 He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne, he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
He does not withdraw his eyes from righteous people but instead sets them on thrones like kings forever, and they are lifted up.
8 If they are bound in fetters, and are taken in the cords of afflictions,
If they are bound in chains and trapped in cords of suffering,
9 then he shows them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
then he reveals to them what they have done, and their transgressions and their pride.
10 He also opens their ears to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity.
He also opens their ears to his instruction, and commands them to turn back from iniquity.
11 If they listen and serve him, they will spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
If they listen to him and worship him, they will spend their days in prosperity, their years in contentment.
12 But if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword; they will die without knowledge.
However, if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword; they will die because they have no knowledge.
13 “But those who are godless in heart lay up anger. They do not cry for help when he binds them.
Those who are godless in heart store up their anger; they do not cry out for help even when God ties them up.
14 They die in youth. Their life perishes among the unclean.
They die in their youth; their lives end among the cultic prostitutes.
15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear in oppression.
God rescues afflicted people by means of their afflictions; he opens their ears by means of their oppression.
16 Yes, he would have allured you out of distress, into a wide place, where there is no restriction. That which is set on your table would be full of fatness.
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.
17 “But you are full of the judgment of the wicked. Judgment and justice take hold of you.
But you are full of judgment on wicked people; judgment and justice have laid hold of you.
18 Do not let riches entice you to wrath, neither let the great size of a bribe turn you aside.
Do not let your anger entice you to mockery, or the greatness of a ransom to turn you aside.
19 Would your wealth sustain you in distress, or all the might of your strength?
Can your wealth benefit you, so that you will not be in distress, or can all the force of your strength help you?
20 Do not desire the night, when people are cut off in their place.
Do not desire the night, to commit sin against others, when peoples are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, do not regard iniquity; for you have chosen this rather than affliction.
Be careful that you do not turn to sin because you are being tested by suffering so that you will stay away from sinning.
22 Behold, God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?
See, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him?
23 Who has prescribed his way for him? Or who can say, ‘You have committed unrighteousness’?
Who has ever instructed him about his way? Who can ever say to him, 'You have committed unrighteousness?'
24 “Remember that you magnify his work, about which men have sung.
Remember to praise his deeds, of which people have sung.
25 All men have looked on it. Man sees it afar off.
All people have looked on those deeds, but they see those deeds only from far away.
26 Behold, God is great, and we do not know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.
See, God is great, but we do not understand him well; the number of his years is incalculable.
27 For he draws up the drops of water, which distill in rain from his vapor,
For he draws up the drops of water that he distills as rain from his vapor,
28 which the skies pour down and which drop on man abundantly.
which the clouds pour down and drop in abundance on mankind.
29 Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunderings of his pavilion?
Indeed, can anyone understand the extensive spread of the clouds and the thunder from his hut?
30 Behold, he spreads his light around him. He covers the bottom of the sea.
See, he spreads his lightning around him and covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by these he judges the people. He gives food in abundance.
In this way he judges the peoples and gives food in abundance.
32 He covers his hands with the lightning, and commands it to strike the mark.
He fills his hands with the lightning until he commands it to strike its mark.
33 Its noise tells about him, and the livestock also, concerning the storm that comes up.
Its thunder warns of the storm, the cattle can also hear it is coming.
