Job 36
1 Elihu continued on and said,
Elihu also proceeded, and said:
2 “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.
Suffer me a little, and I will tell thee; for there are yet words on God's behalf.
3 I will obtain my knowledge from far off; I will acknowledge that righteousness belongs to my Maker.
I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For indeed, my words will not be false; someone who is mature in knowledge is with you.
For truly my words are not false; one that is upright in mind is with thee.
5 See, God is mighty, and despises no one; he is mighty in strength of understanding.
Behold, God is mighty, yet He despiseth not any; He is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not preserve the life of wicked people but instead does what is right for those who suffer.
He preserveth not the life of the wicked; but giveth to the poor their right.
7 He does not withdraw his eyes from righteous people but instead sets them on thrones like kings forever, and they are lifted up.
He withdraweth not His eyes from the righteous; but with kings upon the throne He setteth them for ever, and they are exalted.
8 If they are bound in chains and trapped in cords of suffering,
And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;
9 then he reveals to them what they have done, and their transgressions and their pride.
Then He declareth unto them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
10 He also opens their ears to his instruction, and commands them to turn back from iniquity.
He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
11 If they listen to him and worship him, they will spend their days in prosperity, their years in contentment.
If they hearken and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 However, if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword; they will die because they have no knowledge.
But if they hearken not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
13 Those who are godless in heart store up their anger; they do not cry out for help even when God ties them up.
But they that are godless in heart lay up anger; they cry not for help when He bindeth them.
14 They die in their youth; their lives end among the cultic prostitutes.
Their soul perisheth in youth, and their life as that of the depraved.
15 God rescues afflicted people by means of their afflictions; he opens their ears by means of their oppression.
He delivereth the afflicted by His affliction, and openeth their ear by tribulation.
16 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.
Yea, He hath allured thee out of distress into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which is set on thy table is full of fatness;
17 But you are full of judgment on wicked people; judgment and justice have laid hold of you.
And thou art full of the judgment of the wicked; judgment and justice take hold on them.
18 Do not let your anger entice you to mockery, or the greatness of a ransom to turn you aside.
For beware of wrath, lest thou be led away by thy sufficiency; neither let the greatness of the ransom turn thee aside.
19 Can your wealth benefit you, so that you will not be in distress, or can all the force of your strength help you?
Will thy riches avail, that are without stint, or all the forces of thy strength?
20 Do not desire the night, to commit sin against others, when peoples are cut off in their place.
Desire not the night, when peoples are cut off in their place.
21 Be careful that you do not turn to sin because you are being tested by suffering so that you will stay away from sinning.
Take heed, regard not iniquity; for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 See, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him?
Behold, God doeth loftily in His power; who is a teacher like Him?
23 Who has ever instructed him about his way? Who can ever say to him, 'You have committed unrighteousness?'
Who hath enjoined Him His way? Or who hath said: 'Thou hast wrought unrighteousness'?
24 Remember to praise his deeds, of which people have sung.
Remember that thou magnify His work, whereof men have sung.
25 All people have looked on those deeds, but they see those deeds only from far away.
All men have looked thereon; man beholdeth it afar off.
26 See, God is great, but we do not understand him well; the number of his years is incalculable.
Behold, God is great, beyond our knowledge; the number of His years is unsearchable.
27 For he draws up the drops of water that he distills as rain from his vapor,
For He draweth away the drops of water, which distil rain from His vapour;
28 which the clouds pour down and drop in abundance on mankind.
Which the skies pour down and drop upon the multitudes of men.
29 Indeed, can anyone understand the extensive spread of the clouds and the thunder from his hut?
Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, the crashings of His pavilion?
30 See, he spreads his lightning around him and covers the roots of the sea.
Behold, He spreadeth His light upon it; and He covereth the depths of the sea.
31 In this way he judges the peoples and gives food in abundance.
For by these He judgeth the peoples; He giveth food in abundance.
32 He fills his hands with the lightning until he commands it to strike its mark.
He covereth His hands with the lightning, and giveth it a charge that it strike the mark.
33 Its thunder warns of the storm, the cattle can also hear it is coming.
The noise thereof telleth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the storm that cometh up.
