Job 36

1 And Elius further continued, and said,

And Elihu went on to say,

2 Wait for me yet a little while, that I may teach you: for there is yet speech in me.

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

3 Having fetched my knowledge from afar, and according to my works,

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

4 I will speak just things truly, and you shall not unjustly receive unjust words.

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

5 But know that the Lord will not cast off an innocent man: being mighty in strength of wisdom,

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

6 he will not by any means save alive the ungodly: and he will grant the judgement of the poor.

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

7 He will not turn away his eyes from the righteous, but [they shall be] with kings on the throne: and he will establish them in triumph, and they shall be exalted.

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

8 But they that are bound in fetters shall be holden in cords of poverty.

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

9 And he shall recount to them their works, and their transgressions, for such will act with violence.

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

10 But he will listen to the righteous: and he has said that they shall turn from unrighteousness.

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

11 If they should hear and serve [him], they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in honour.

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

12 But he preserves not the ungodly; because they are not willing to know the Lord, and because when reproved they were disobedient.

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

13 And the hypocrites in heart will array wrath [against themselves]; they will not cry, because he has bound them.

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 Therefore let their soul die in youth, and their life be wounded by messengers [of death].

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 Because they afflicted the weak and helpless: and he will vindicate the judgement of the meek.

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

16 And he has also enticed you out of the mouth of the enemy:

17 [there is] a deep gulf [and] a rushing stream beneath it, and your table came down full of fatness. Judgement shall not fail from the righteous;

18 but there shall be wrath upon the ungodly, by reason of the ungodliness of the bribes which they received for iniquities.

19 Let not [your] mind willingly turn you aside from the petition of the feeble that are in distress.

20 And draw not forth all the mighty [men] by night, so that the people should go up instead of them.

21 But take heed lest you do that which is wrong: for of this you has made choice because of poverty.

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

22 Behold, the Mighty One shall prevail by his strength: for who is powerful as he is?

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

23 And who is he that examines his works? or who can say, he has wrought injustice?

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

24 Remember that his works are great [beyond] those which men have attempted.

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

25 Every man has seen in himself, how many mortals are wounded.

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

26 Behold, the Mighty One is great, and we shall not know [him]: the number of his years is even infinite.

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

27 And the drops of rain are numbered by him, and shall be poured out in rain to form a cloud.

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

28 The ancient [heavens] shall flow, and the clouds overshadow innumerable mortals: he has fixed a time to cattle, and they know the order of rest. [Yet] by all these things your understanding is not astonished, neither is your mind disturbed in [your] body.

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

29 And though one should understand the outspreadings of the clouds, [or] the measure of his tabernacle;

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

30 behold he will stretch his bow against him, and he covers the bottom of the sea.

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

31 For by them he will judge the nations: he will give food to him that has strength.

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

32 He has hidden the light in [his] hands, and given charge concerning it to the interposing [cloud].

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

33 The Lord will declare concerning this [to] his friend: [but there is] a portion also for unrighteousness.

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