Job 36
1 Elihu also continued, and said,
Continuing in a similar manner, Eliu had this to say:
2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you; for I still have something to say on God’s behalf.
Bear with me for a little while and I will show you; for I have still more to say in favor of God.
3 I will get my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
I will review my knowledge from the beginning, and I will prove my Maker to be just.
4 For truly my words are not false. One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
For truly my words are without any falsehood and perfect knowledge will be proven to you.
5 “Behold, God is mighty, and doesn’t despise anyone. He is mighty in strength of understanding.
God does not abandon the powerful, for he himself is also powerful.
6 He doesn’t preserve the life of the wicked, but gives justice to the afflicted.
But he does not save the impious, though he grants judgment to the poor.
7 He doesn’t withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne, he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
He will not take his eyes away from the just, and he continually establishes kings on their throne, and they are exalted.
8 If they are bound in fetters, and are taken in the cords of afflictions,
And, if they are in captivity, or are bound with the chains of poverty,
9 then he shows them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
he will reveal to them their works, as well as their sinfulness, in that they were violent.
10 He also opens their ears to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity.
Likewise, he will open their ears to his correction, and he will speak to them, so that they may return from iniquity.
11 If they listen and serve him, they will spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
If they listen and obey, they will fill their days with goodness and complete their years in glory.
12 But if they don’t listen, they will perish by the sword; they will die without knowledge.
But if they will not listen, they will pass away by the sword and will be consumed by foolishness.
13 “But those who are godless in heart lay up anger. They don’t cry for help when he binds them.
The false and the crafty provoke the wrath of God, yet they do not cry out to him when they are chained.
14 They die in youth. Their life perishes among the unclean.
Their soul will die in a storm, and their life, among the unmanly.
15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear in oppression.
He will rescue the poor from his anguish, and he will open his ear during tribulation.
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.
Therefore, he will save you from the narrow mouth very widely, even though it has no foundation under it. Moreover, your respite at table will be full of fatness.
17 “But you are full of the judgment of the wicked. Judgment and justice take hold of you.
Your case has been judged like that of the impious; you will withdraw your plea and your judgment.
18 Don’t let riches entice you to wrath, neither let the great size of a bribe turn you aside.
Therefore, do not let anger overwhelm you so that you oppress another; neither should you allow a multitude of gifts to influence you.
19 Would your wealth sustain you in distress, or all the might of your strength?
Lay down your greatness without distress, and put aside all of your power with courage.
20 Don’t desire the night, when people are cut off in their place.
Do not prolong the night, even if people rise on their behalf.
21 Take heed, don’t regard iniquity; for you have chosen this rather than affliction.
Be careful that you do not turn to iniquity; for, after your misery, you have begun to follow this.
22 Behold, God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?
Behold, God is exalted in his strength, and there is no one like him among the law-givers.
23 Who has prescribed his way for him? Or who can say, ‘You have committed unrighteousness’?
Who is able to investigate his ways? And who can say, “You have done iniquity,” to him?
24 “Remember that you magnify his work, about which men have sung.
Remember that you are ignorant of his work, yet men have sung its praises.
25 All men have looked on it. Man sees it afar off.
All men consider him; and each one ponders from a distance.
26 Behold, God is great, and we don’t know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.
Behold, God is great, defeating our knowledge; the number of his years is inestimable.
27 For he draws up the drops of water, which distill in rain from his vapor,
He carries away the drops of rain, and he sends forth showers like a raging whirlpool;
28 which the skies pour down and which drop on man abundantly.
they flow from the clouds that are woven above everything.
29 Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunderings of his pavilion?
If he wills it, he extends the clouds as his tent
30 Behold, he spreads his light around him. He covers the bottom of the sea.
and shines with his light from above; likewise, he covers the oceans within his tent.
31 For by these he judges the people. He gives food in abundance.
For he judges the people by these things, and he gives food to a multitude of mortals.
32 He covers his hands with the lightning, and commands it to strike the mark.
Within his hands, he hides the light, and he commands it to come forth again.
33 Its noise tells about him, and the livestock also, concerning the storm that comes up.
He announces it to his friend, for it is his possession and he is able to reach out to it.
