Job 36
1 And Elihu added and said: —
Elihu also proceeded, and said,
2 Restrain thyself for me a little, and I will shew thee, that, yet—for GOD, there is justification,
Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee: for I have yet somewhat to say on God’s behalf.
3 I will bring my knowledge from afar, and, to my Maker, will I attribute righteousness.
I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For, of a truth—not false, are my words, One of competent knowledge, is with thee.
For truly my words are not false: one that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 Lo! GOD, is mighty, yet will he not despise, Mighty in vigour of mind;
Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He will not keep alive one who is lawless, but, the right of oppressed ones, will he grant;
He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth to the afflicted [their] right.
7 He will not withdraw—from a righteous one—his eyes, —but, with kings on the throne, He hath seated men triumphantly, and they have been exalted.
He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings upon the throne he setteth them for ever, and they are exalted.
8 But, if, bound in fetters, they have been captured with cords of affliction,
And if they be bound in fetters, and be taken in the cords of affliction;
9 Then hath he declared to them their deed, and their transgressions—that they were wont to behave themselves proudly;
Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
10 Thus hath he uncovered their ear to a warning, and said—that they should turn from iniquity.
He openeth also their ear to instruction, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
11 If they would hearken, and serve, they should complete their days, in prosperity, and their years, in pleasantness;
If they hearken and serve [him], they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 But, if they would not hearken, by a weapon, should they pass away, and breathe their last, no one knowing.
But if they hearken not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
13 Yea, the impious in heart, should store up anger, They should not cry for help, when he bound them.
But they that are godless in heart lay up anger: they cry not for help when he bindeth them.
14 Their soul should die in youth, and their life, among the unclean.
They die in youth, and their life [perisheth] among the unclean.
15 He would deliver the humbled in his humiliation, and would uncover—in oppression—their ear.
He delivereth the afflicted by his affliction, and openeth their ear in oppression.
16 Yea he might even have allured thee—out of the mouth of straitness, [into] a wide space—no narrowness there, —and, the food set down on thy table, should have been full of fatness.
Yea, he would have led thee away out of distress into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which is set on thy table should be full of fatness.
17 But, with the plea of a lawless one, thou art full, Plea and sentence, will take fast hold.
But thou art full of the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold [on thee].
18 Because there is wrath, [beware] lest he take thee away with a stroke, Then let not, a great ransom, mislead thee.
Because there is wrath, beware lest thou be led away by [thy] sufficiency; neither let the greatness of the ransom turn thee aside.
19 Will he value thy riches? Nay not precious ore, nor all the forces of strength.
Will thy riches suffice, [that thou be] not in distress, or all the forces of [thy] strength?
20 Do not pant for the night, when peoples disappear from their place.
Desire not the night, when peoples are cut off in their place.
21 Beware, do not turn unto iniquity, For, this, thou hast chosen rather than affliction.
Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 Lo, GOD, exalteth himself by his strength, Who like him doth teach?
Behold, God doeth loftily in his power: who is a teacher like unto him?
23 Who enjoined on him his way? and who ever said, Thou hast wrought perversity?
Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?
24 Remember, that thou extol his work, of which men have sung;
Remember that thou magnify his work, whereof men have sung.
25 Every son of earth, hath viewed it, Mortal man, looketh at it from afar.
All men have looked thereon; man beholdeth it afar off.
26 Lo, GOD, is greater than we can know, The number of his years, even past finding out!
Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable.
27 For he draweth up drops of water, They trickle as rain through his mist;
For he draweth up the drops of water, which distil in rain from his vapour:
28 With which the clouds flow down, They drop on man in abundance.
Which the skies pour down and drop upon man abundantly.
29 But surely none can understand the burstings of the cloud, the crashing of his pavilion!
Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion?
30 Lo! he hath spread out over it, his lightning, The bed of the sea, hath he covered.
Behold, he spreadeth his light around him; and he covereth the bottom of the sea.
31 For, by those things, he executeth judgment on peoples, He giveth food in abundance:
For by these he judgeth the peoples; he giveth meat in abundance.
32 Upon both hands, he putteth a covering of lightning, and layeth command upon it against an assailant:
He covereth his hands with the lightning; and giveth it a charge that it strike the mark.
33 His rolling thunder telleth concerning him, —The cattle, even, concerning him that is coming up.
The noise thereof telleth concerning him, the cattle also concerning [the storm] that cometh up.
