Job 36
1 Elihu also proceeded, and said,
Elihu also proceeded, and said:
2 Suffer me a little, and I will show thee; For I have yet somewhat to say on God’s behalf.
Bear with me a little while, that I may show thee! For I have yet words in behalf of God.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
I will bring my knowledge from afar, And assert the justice of my Maker.
4 For truly my words are not false: One that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
Truly my words shall not be false: A man of sound knowledge is before thee.
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: He is mighty in strength of understanding.
Behold, God is great, but despiseth not any; Great is he in strength of understanding.
6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked, But giveth to the afflicted [their] right.
He suffereth not the wicked to prosper, But rendereth justice to the oppressed.
7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: But with kings upon the throne He setteth them for ever, and they are exalted.
He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous; But establisheth them for ever with kings on the throne, That they may be exalted.
8 And if they be bound in fetters, And be taken in the cords of affliction;
And if they be bound in fetters, And holden in the cords of affliction,
9 Then he showeth them their work, And their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
Then showeth he them their deeds, And how they have set him at defiance by their transgressions;
10 He openeth also their ear to instruction, And commandeth that they return from iniquity.
He also openeth their ears to admonition, And commandeth them to return from iniquity.
11 If they hearken and serve [him], They shall spend their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures.
If they obey and serve him, They spend their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures.
12 But if they hearken not, they shall perish by the sword, And they shall die without knowledge.
But if they obey not, they perish by the sword; They die in their own folly.
13 But they that are godless in heart lay up anger: They cry not for help when he bindeth them.
The corrupt in heart treasure up wrath; They cry not to God, when he bindeth them.
14 They die in youth, And their life [perisheth] among the unclean.
They die in their youth; They close their lives with the unclean.
15 He delivereth the afflicted by their affliction, And openeth their ear in oppression.
But he delivereth the poor in their distress; He openeth their ears in affliction.
16 Yea, he would have allured thee out of distress Into a broad place, where there is no straitness; And that which is set on thy table would be full of fatness.
He will bring thee also from the jaws of distress To a broad place, where is no straitness; And the provision of thy table shall be full of fatness.
17 But thou art full of the judgment of the wicked: Judgment and justice take hold [on thee].
But if thou art full of the judgment of the wicked, Judgment and justice shall take hold of thee.
18 For let not wrath stir thee up against chastisements; Neither let the greatness of the ransom turn thee aside.
For if wrath be with him, beware lest he take thee away by his stroke, So that a great ransom shall not save thee!
19 Will thy cry avail, [that thou be] not in distress, Or all the forces of [thy] strength?
Will he esteem thy riches? No! neither thy gold, nor all the abundance of thy wealth.
20 Desire not the night, When peoples are cut off in their place.
Long not thou for that night To which nations are taken away from their place.
21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
Take heed, turn not thine eyes to iniquity! For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God doeth loftily in his power: Who is a teacher like unto him?
Behold, God is exalted in his power: Who is a teacher like him?
23 Who hath enjoined him his way? Or who can say, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?
Who hath prescribed to him his way? Or who can say to him, “Thou hast done wrong”?
24 Remember that thou magnify his work, Whereof men have sung.
Forget not to magnify his work, Which men celebrate with songs.
25 All men have looked thereon; Man beholdeth it afar off.
All mankind gaze upon it; Mortals behold it from afar.
26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not; The number of his years is unsearchable.
Behold, God is great; we cannot know him, Nor search out the number of his years.
27 For he draweth up the drops of water, Which distil in rain from his vapor,
Lo! he draweth up the drops of water, Which distil rain from his vapor;
28 Which the skies pour down And drop upon man abundantly.
The clouds pour it down, And drop it upon man in abundance.
29 Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, The thunderings of his pavilion?
Who can understand the spreading of his clouds, And the rattling of his pavilion?
30 Behold, he spreadeth his light around him; And he covereth the bottom of the sea.
Behold, he spreadeth around himself his light, And he clotheth himself with the depths of the sea.
31 For by these he judgeth the peoples; He giveth food in abundance.
By these he punisheth nations, And by these he giveth food in abundance.
32 He covereth his hands with the lightning, And giveth it a charge that it strike the mark.
His hands he covereth with lightning; He giveth it commandment against an enemy.
33 The noise thereof telleth concerning him, The cattle also concerning [the storm] that cometh up.
His thunder maketh him known; Yea, to the herds, as he ascendeth on high.
