Job 36

1 Elihu [finished by] saying this:

Elihu continued speaking.

2 “[Job, ] be patient with me a little longer, because I have something else to teach you. I have something else to say that God [wants you to know].

“Be patient with me just a little while longer and let me explain. I still have something to say on God's behalf.

3 I will tell you what I have learned from many sources, in order to show that God, my creator, is just/fair.

I will share my extensive knowledge, and I will prove my Creator is in the right.

4 I am not saying anything to you that is false; I, who am standing in front of you, am someone who understands things (very well/perfectly) [HYP].

I assure you that what I'm saying are not lies, for I am a man whose knowledge is of the highest order.

5 “Hey, God is [very] powerful, and he does not despise anyone, and he understands everything.

God is mighty, but doesn't despise anyone; he is powerful in strength and understanding.

6 He does not allow wicked people to remain alive, and he always acts justly toward those who are poor.

He does not keep the wicked alive, but gives justice to the oppressed.

7 He always watches over [MTY] those who are righteous; he allows them to sit on thrones [and rule] with kings, and they are honored forever.

He always pays attention those who do right, and places them on thrones with kings, honoring them eternally.

8 But if people [who commit crimes] are caught, they [are thrown into prison and] are caused to suffer by being fastened with chains.

If they are bound in chains, tied down by ropes of suffering,

9 When that happens, God shows them what they have done; he shows them the sins that they have committed, and he shows them that they have been proud/arrogant.

then he explains to them what they've done—their arrogant sins.

10 He causes them to listen [MTY] to what he is warning them, and he commands them to turn away from [doing what is] evil.

He makes them pay attention and orders them to stop sinning.

11 If they (listen to/heed) him and serve him, [after they get out of prison] they will prosper for all the years that they are alive and be peaceful/happy.

If they listen and do what God says they will live out their lives in happiness.

12 But if they do not (listen/pay attention) to him, they will die violently, not knowing [why God is causing them to die].

But if they do not listen they will die a violent death, ignorant of God.

13 “Godless/Wicked people continue being angry, and they do not cry out for help, [even] when God is punishing them.

Those who reject God hold on to their bitterness. Even when he disciplines them they do not cry out to him for help.

14 They die while they are still young, disgraced because of their very immoral behavior [EUP].

They die in their youth; their lives end among the male temple prostitutes.

15 But God teaches people by causing them to suffer; by afflicting them, he causes them to listen to [MTY] what he is telling them.

Through suffering God saves those who suffer; he gets their attention through their troubles.

16 “And Job, [I think that] God [wants to] bring you out of your troubles and allow you to live without distress; he wants your table to be full of very nice food.

God is trying to rescue you from the jaws of trouble to a place of freedom and safety, filling your table full of the very best food.

17 But now, you are being punished [MTY] as wicked people are punished; [God] [PRS] has been punishing you (justly/as you deserve).

But you are preoccupied with the fate of the wicked; judgment and justice fill your mind.

18 So be careful that you are not deceived by [desiring to acquire] money or that you are not ruined by [accepting] large bribes.

But be careful that your anger doesn't seduce you into mockery; and don't let the size of the ‘bribe’ lead you into sin.

19 [If you are deceived by those things, ] it certainly will not [RHQ] help you to cry out when you are distressed; all of your strength will not help you.

Will your cry for help sustain you when troubles come?

20 Do not wish that it would be nighttime [in order that God will not see you and punish you], because night is the time when [even] people-groups are destroyed!

Do not long for the night when people are suddenly taken away.

21 Be careful not to [begin doing] evil things, because [God] has caused you to suffer to prevent you from doing evil.

Watch out that you don't turn to evil! For it's because of this that you are being tested through suffering.

22 “Hey, God is extremely powerful; there is certainly [RHQ] no teacher who teaches like he does.

Look how much power God has! What teacher is like him?

23 No one has [RHQ] told him what he should do, and no one has [RHQ] said to him, ‘You have done what is wrong!’

Who has instructed him what to do? Who can say to him ‘You have done wrong’?

24 People have [always] sung to praise him, so you also should never forget to praise him for what he has done.

Instead you should praise him for what he has done, as people have done in song.

25 Everyone has seen [what he has done], but [sometimes] we can see it only from far away.

Everyone has seen God's creation, though only from a distance.

26 “Hey, God is very great, and we are not able to know how great he is, and we do not know how old he is.

See how great God is—more than we can understand! No one can count his years.

27 He draws water up [from the earth and puts it in clouds] and causes it to become rain.

He draws up the water and distils it into the dew and the rain.

28 The rain pours down from the sky/clouds; God causes abundant showers to fall on everyone.

The clouds pour down rain, falling plentifully on humankind.

29 No one can [RHQ] understand how the clouds move [across the sky] or how it thunders in the sky where God lives.

Can anyone understand how the clouds spread out, or how thunder roars from where he lives?

30 He causes lightning to flash all around him, but he causes the bottom of the oceans to remain dark.

See how he scatters lightning around him, and covers the depths of the sea in darkness.

31 By providing plenty of rain for us, he enables us to have abundant food.

By these actions he rules the people, he provides abundant food.

32 [It is as though] he holds the lightning in his hands, and [then] he commands it to strike where he wants it to.

He holds lightning in his hands and commands where it should strike.

33 When we hear his thunder, we know that there will be a storm, and the cattle know it, too.”

Thunder declares his presence—even cattle know when a storm is coming.