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36 ¶ And Elihu added and said,

Wait for me a little, and I will teach thee; for I yet speak on God’s behalf.

I will take my knowledge from afar and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

For truly my words are not lies; for I share perfect knowledge with thee.

¶ Behold, God is mighty and does not despise; he is mighty in virtue of heart.

He shall not give life to the wicked; but to the poor he shall give their right.

He shall not withdraw his eyes from the righteous; but with kings he shall place them on the throne for ever, and they shall be exalted.

And if they were bound in fetters and captive in cords of affliction,

then he shall show them their work and that their rebellions prevailed.

10 He opens their ear to instruction and commands that they turn from iniquity.

11 If they hearken and serve him, they shall spend their days in goodness and their years in delight.

12 But if they do not hearken, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.

13 But the hypocrites in heart shall irritate him more; they shall not cry out when he binds them.

14 Their soul shall die in youth, and their life is among the male pagan cult prostitutes.

15 ¶ He shall deliver the poor from his poverty, and in affliction shall open their ears.

16 Likewise, he would have removed thee out of the mouth of anguish into a broad place where there is no distress and should have set thy table full of fatness.

17 But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, against the judgment and the justice that sustain everything.

18 Therefore it is to be feared that he take thee away with a stroke, which cannot be avoided even with a great ransom.

19 Will he esteem thy riches? No, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.

20 Do not desire the night, when he cuts people off in their place.

21 Take heed, do not regard iniquity, to choose it rather than poverty.

22 Behold, God is exalted by his power; what teacher is like him?

23 Who has prescribed his way unto him? Or who shall say unto him, Thou hast wrought iniquity?

24 ¶ Remember to magnify his work, which men behold.

25 Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.

26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.

27 For he detains the drops of water; when the rain pours down rain out of its vapour,

28 which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.

29 Shall you understand the spreadings of the clouds or the noise of his tent?

30 Behold, he spreads his light upon it and covers the roots of the sea.

31 For by them he judges the peoples; he gives food to the multitude.

32 With the clouds he covers the light and commands them to come against the light.

33 The one gives news of the other; the one acquires wrath against the one that comes.

36 Elihu continued:

“Bear with me a little longer and I will show you
    that there is more to be said in God’s behalf.
I get my knowledge from afar;(A)
    I will ascribe justice to my Maker.(B)
Be assured that my words are not false;(C)
    one who has perfect knowledge(D) is with you.(E)

“God is mighty,(F) but despises no one;(G)
    he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.(H)
He does not keep the wicked alive(I)
    but gives the afflicted their rights.(J)
He does not take his eyes off the righteous;(K)
    he enthrones them with kings(L)
    and exalts them forever.(M)
But if people are bound in chains,(N)
    held fast by cords of affliction,(O)
he tells them what they have done—
    that they have sinned arrogantly.(P)
10 He makes them listen(Q) to correction(R)
    and commands them to repent of their evil.(S)
11 If they obey and serve him,(T)
    they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity(U)
    and their years in contentment.(V)
12 But if they do not listen,
    they will perish by the sword[a](W)
    and die without knowledge.(X)

13 “The godless in heart(Y) harbor resentment;(Z)
    even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.(AA)
14 They die in their youth,(AB)
    among male prostitutes of the shrines.(AC)
15 But those who suffer(AD) he delivers in their suffering;(AE)
    he speaks(AF) to them in their affliction.(AG)

16 “He is wooing(AH) you from the jaws of distress
    to a spacious place(AI) free from restriction,(AJ)
    to the comfort of your table(AK) laden with choice food.(AL)
17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;(AM)
    judgment and justice have taken hold of you.(AN)
18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches;
    do not let a large bribe(AO) turn you aside.(AP)
19 Would your wealth(AQ) or even all your mighty efforts
    sustain you so you would not be in distress?
20 Do not long for the night,(AR)
    to drag people away from their homes.[b]
21 Beware of turning to evil,(AS)
    which you seem to prefer to affliction.(AT)

22 “God is exalted in his power.(AU)
    Who is a teacher like him?(AV)
23 Who has prescribed his ways(AW) for him,(AX)
    or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?(AY)
24 Remember to extol his work,(AZ)
    which people have praised in song.(BA)
25 All humanity has seen it;(BB)
    mortals gaze on it from afar.
26 How great is God—beyond our understanding!(BC)
    The number of his years is past finding out.(BD)

27 “He draws up the drops of water,(BE)
    which distill as rain to the streams[c];(BF)
28 the clouds pour down their moisture
    and abundant showers(BG) fall on mankind.(BH)
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
    how he thunders(BI) from his pavilion?(BJ)
30 See how he scatters his lightning(BK) about him,
    bathing the depths of the sea.(BL)
31 This is the way he governs[d] the nations(BM)
    and provides food(BN) in abundance.(BO)
32 He fills his hands with lightning
    and commands it to strike its mark.(BP)
33 His thunder announces the coming storm;(BQ)
    even the cattle make known its approach.[e](BR)

Footnotes

  1. Job 36:12 Or will cross the river
  2. Job 36:20 The meaning of the Hebrew for verses 18-20 is uncertain.
  3. Job 36:27 Or distill from the mist as rain
  4. Job 36:31 Or nourishes
  5. Job 36:33 Or announces his coming— / the One zealous against evil