Job 36

1 Elihu also continued, and said,

Then continued Elihu, and said,

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

Wait for me a little, and I will instruct thee; for [I have] still some words on God's behalf.

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

I will lift up my knowledge for him who is afar, and for my Maker will I obtain righteousness.

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

For truly no falsehood is [in] my words: one that is upright in [his] opinions [dealeth now] with thee.

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

Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength of intellect.

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

He permitteth not the wicked to live; but he procureth justice for 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 withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous; but [he placeth them] with kings on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.

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

And if they be bound in fetters, and if they be entangled in the cords of affliction:

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

Then doth he tell them of their work, and of their transgressions, when they had become strong.

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

And he openeth thus their ear to correction, and saith that they should return from wrong-doing.

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

If they hearken and serve [him], they will spend their days in happiness, and their years in pleasures.

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

But if they hearken not, they will pass away through the sword, and they will perish in want of knowledge.

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

But the hypocrites in heart persevere in wrath; they will not offer entreaty when he bindeth them:

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

Their soul will die in youth, and their life, among the incestuous.

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

He delivereth the afflicted through his affliction, and openeth through oppression his ear.

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.

And also thee hath he incited away from the jaws of distress into a wide space, on the site of which there is no straitness; and what is set on thy table is full of fatness.

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

But if thou art full of the judgment of the wicked: [divine] judgment and decree will support each other.

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

For there would be fury, If aught were to incite thee to utter an abundance [of rebellious words]; and the greatness of the infliction must not mislead thee.

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

Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold ore, nor all the highest forces of strength.

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

Desire then not eagerly the night, when nations pass away in their place.

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

Take heed, turn not thyself to wrong-doing, so that thou wouldst choose this because of [thy] affliction.

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

Behold, God is exalted by his power: who is an instructer like him?

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

Who hath given him a charge concerning his way? or who hath ever said, Thou hast acted unjustly?

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

Reflect, that thou shouldst magnify his work, which [other] men have beheld.

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

All men have looked at it [with astonishment]; the mortal gazeth at it from afar.

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

Behold, God is great, and we comprehend him not, the number of his years can truly not be searched out.

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

For he taketh away drops of water, which are purified into rain in his mist:

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

These drop down out of the skies; they distil upon the multitude of men.

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

But [what man] can understand the outspreadings of the clouds? the tumult of his tabernacle?

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

Behold, he spreadeth out over it his light, and covereth up the roots of the sea.

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

For by means of them he judgeth nations, he giveth food in superfluity.

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

[His] hands he covereth with light; and he commandeth it to strike the one who striveth against him.

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

The noise of his storm telleth of it, yea, the cattle also, of the rising tempest.