Job 36
1 Elihu also proceeded, and said,
Elihu continued on and said,
2 Suffer me a little, and I will show thee; For I have yet somewhat 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 fetch 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 that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
For indeed, my words will not be false; someone who is mature in knowledge is with you.
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: He is mighty in strength of understanding.
See, God is mighty, and despises no one; he is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked, But giveth to the afflicted [their] right.
He does not preserve the life of wicked people but instead does what is right for those who suffer.
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 does not withdraw his eyes from righteous people but instead sets them on thrones like kings forever, and they are lifted up.
8 And if they be bound in fetters, And be taken in the cords of affliction;
If they are bound in chains and trapped in cords of suffering,
9 Then he showeth 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 openeth also their ear to instruction, And commandeth that they return from iniquity.
He also opens their ears to his instruction, and commands them to turn back from iniquity.
11 If they hearken and serve [him], They shall 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 hearken not, they shall perish by the sword, And they shall 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 they that are godless in heart lay up anger: They cry not for help when he bindeth 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, And their life [perisheth] among the unclean.
They die in their youth; their lives end among the cultic prostitutes.
15 He delivereth the afflicted by their affliction, And openeth their ear in oppression.
God rescues afflicted people by means of their afflictions; he opens their ears by means of their oppression.
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.
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 thou art full of the judgment of the wicked: Judgment and justice take hold [on thee].
But you are full of judgment on wicked people; judgment and justice have laid hold of you.
18 For let not wrath stir thee up against chastisements; Neither let the greatness of the ransom turn thee aside.
Do not let your anger entice you to mockery, or the greatness of a ransom to turn you aside.
19 Will thy cry avail, [that thou be] not in distress, Or all the forces of [thy] 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 Desire not the night, When peoples 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, regard not iniquity: For this hast thou chosen 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 doeth loftily in his power: Who is a teacher like unto him?
See, 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 has ever instructed him about his way? Who can ever say to him, 'You have committed unrighteousness?'
24 Remember that thou magnify his work, Whereof men have sung.
Remember to praise his deeds, of which people have sung.
25 All men have looked thereon; Man beholdeth 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 know him not; 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 draweth up the drops of water, Which distil 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 drop upon man abundantly.
which the clouds pour down and drop in abundance on mankind.
29 Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, The thunderings of his pavilion?
Indeed, can anyone understand the extensive spread of the clouds and the thunder from his hut?
30 Behold, he spreadeth his light around him; And he covereth the bottom of the sea.
See, he spreads his lightning around him and covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by these he judgeth the peoples; He giveth food in abundance.
In this way he judges the peoples and gives food in abundance.
32 He covereth his hands with the lightning, And giveth it a charge that it strike the mark.
He fills his hands with the lightning until he commands it to strike its mark.
33 The noise thereof telleth concerning him, The cattle also concerning [the storm] that cometh up.
Its thunder warns of the storm, the cattle can also hear it is coming.
