Job 36

1 Elihu also continued, and said,

And Elihu continued:

2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you; for I still have something to say on God’s behalf.

“Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you that there is more to be said on God’s behalf.

3 I will get my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

I get my knowledge from afar, and I will ascribe justice to my Maker.

4 For truly my words are not false. One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

For truly my words are free of falsehood; one perfect in knowledge is with you.

5 “Behold, God is mighty, and doesn’t despise anyone. He is mighty in strength of understanding.

Indeed, God is mighty, but He despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding.

6 He doesn’t preserve the life of the wicked, but gives justice to the afflicted.

He does not keep the wicked alive, but He grants justice to the afflicted.

7 He doesn’t withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne, he sets them forever, and they are exalted.

He does not take His eyes off the righteous, but He enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.

8 If they are bound in fetters, and are taken in the cords of afflictions,

And if men are bound with chains, caught in cords of affliction,

9 then he shows them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.

then He tells them their deeds and how arrogantly they have transgressed.

10 He also opens their ears to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity.

He opens their ears to correction and commands that they turn from iniquity.

11 If they listen and serve him, they will spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

If they obey and serve Him, then they end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness.

12 But if they don’t listen, they will perish by the sword; they will die without knowledge.

But if they do not obey, then they perish by the sword and die without knowledge.

13 “But those who are godless in heart lay up anger. They don’t cry for help when he binds them.

The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when He binds them, they do not cry for help.

14 They die in youth. Their life perishes among the unclean.

They die in their youth, among the male shrine prostitutes.

15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear in oppression.

God rescues the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ears in oppression.

16 Yes, he would have allured you out of distress, into a wide place, where there is no restriction. That which is set on your table would be full of fatness.

Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and broad place, to a table full of richness.

17 “But you are full of the judgment of the wicked. Judgment and justice take hold of you.

But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have seized you.

18 Don’t let riches entice you to wrath, neither let the great size of a bribe turn you aside.

Be careful that no one lures you with riches; do not let a large bribe lead you astray.

19 Would your wealth sustain you in distress, or all the might of your strength?

Can your wealth or all your mighty effort keep you from distress?

20 Don’t desire the night, when people are cut off in their place.

Do not long for the night, when people vanish from their homes.

21 Take heed, don’t regard iniquity; for you have chosen this rather than affliction.

Be careful not to turn to iniquity, for this you have preferred to affliction.

22 Behold, God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?

Behold, God is exalted in His power. Who is a teacher like Him?

23 Who has prescribed his way for him? Or who can say, ‘You have committed unrighteousness’?

Who has appointed His way for Him, or told Him, ‘You have done wrong’?

24 “Remember that you magnify his work, about which men have sung.

Remember to magnify His work, which men have praised in song.

25 All men have looked on it. Man sees it afar off.

All mankind has seen it; men behold it from afar.

26 Behold, God is great, and we don’t know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.

Indeed, God is great—beyond our knowledge; the number of His years is unsearchable.

27 For he draws up the drops of water, which distill in rain from his vapor,

For He draws up drops of water which distill the rain from the mist,

28 which the skies pour down and which drop on man abundantly.

which the clouds pour out and shower abundantly on mankind.

29 Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunderings of his pavilion?

Furthermore, who can understand how the clouds spread out, how the thunder roars from His pavilion?

30 Behold, he spreads his light around him. He covers the bottom of the sea.

See how He scatters His lightning around Him and covers the depths of the sea.

31 For by these he judges the people. He gives food in abundance.

For by these He judges the nations and provides food in abundance.

32 He covers his hands with the lightning, and commands it to strike the mark.

He fills His hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.

33 Its noise tells about him, and the livestock also, concerning the storm that comes up.

The thunder declares His presence; even the cattle regard the rising storm.