Job 36

1 And Elihu continued:

And Elihu went on to say,

2 “Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you that there is more to be said on God’s behalf.

Give me a little more time, and I will make it clear to you; for I have still something to say for God.

3 I get my knowledge from afar, and I will ascribe justice to my Maker.

I will get my knowledge from far, and I will give righteousness to my Maker.

4 For truly my words are free of falsehood; one perfect in knowledge is with you.

For truly my words are not false; one who has all knowledge is talking with you.

5 Indeed, God is mighty, but He despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding.

Truly, God gives up the hard-hearted, and will not give life to the sinner.

6 He does not keep the wicked alive, but He grants justice to the afflicted.

His eyes are ever on the upright, and he gives to the crushed their right;

7 He does not take His eyes off the righteous, but He enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.

Lifting them up to the seat of kings, and making them safe for ever.

8 And if men are bound with chains, caught in cords of affliction,

And if they have been prisoned in chains, and taken in cords of trouble,

9 then He tells them their deeds and how arrogantly they have transgressed.

Then he makes clear to them what they have done, even their evil works in which they have taken pride.

10 He opens their ears to correction and commands that they turn from iniquity.

Their ear is open to his teaching, and he gives them orders so that their hearts may be turned from evil.

11 If they obey and serve Him, then they end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness.

If they give ear to his voice, and do his word, then he gives them long life, and years full of pleasure.

12 But if they do not obey, then they perish by the sword and die without knowledge.

But if not, they come to their end, and give up their breath without knowledge.

13 The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when He binds them, they do not cry for help.

Those who have no fear of God keep wrath stored up in their hearts; they give no cry for help when they are made prisoners.

14 They die in their youth, among the male shrine prostitutes.

They come to their end while they are still young, their life is short like that of those who are used for sex purposes in the worship of their gods.

15 God rescues the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ears in oppression.

He makes the wrong done to the poor the way of their salvation, opening their ears by their trouble.

16 Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and broad place, to a table full of richness.

17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have seized you.

18 Be careful that no one lures you with riches; do not let a large bribe lead you astray.

19 Can your wealth or all your mighty effort keep you from distress?

20 Do not long for the night, when people vanish from their homes.

21 Be careful not to turn to iniquity, for this you have preferred to affliction.

Take care not to be turned to sin, for you have taken evil for your part in place of sorrow.

22 Behold, God is exalted in His power. Who is a teacher like Him?

Truly God is lifted up in strength; who is a ruler like him?

23 Who has appointed His way for Him, or told Him, ‘You have done wrong’?

Who ever gave orders to him, or said to him, You have done wrong?

24 Remember to magnify His work, which men have praised in song.

See that you give praise to his work, about which men make songs.

25 All mankind has seen it; men behold it from afar.

All people are looking on it; man sees it from far.

26 Indeed, God is great—beyond our knowledge; the number of His years is unsearchable.

Truly, God is great, greater than all our knowledge; the number of his years may not be searched out.

27 For He draws up drops of water which distill the rain from the mist,

For he takes up the drops from the sea; he sends them through his mist as rain,

28 which the clouds pour out and shower abundantly on mankind.

Flowing down from the sky, and dropping on the peoples.

29 Furthermore, who can understand how the clouds spread out, how the thunder roars from His pavilion?

And who has knowledge of how the clouds are stretched out, or of the thunders of his tent?

30 See how He scatters His lightning around Him and covers the depths of the sea.

See, he is stretching out his mist, covering the tops of the mountains with it.

31 For by these He judges the nations and provides food in abundance.

For by these he gives food to the peoples, and bread in full measure.

32 He fills His hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.

He takes the light in his hands, sending it against the mark.

33 The thunder declares His presence; even the cattle regard the rising storm.

The thunder makes clear his passion, and the storm gives news of his wrath.