Job 36

¹Elihu also continued, and said,
²"Bear with me a little, and I will show you; For I still have something to say on God's behalf.
³I will get my knowledge from afar, And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
⁴For truly my words are not false. One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
⁵"Behold, God is mighty, and doesn't despise anyone. He is mighty in strength of understanding.
⁶He doesn't preserve the life of the wicked, But gives to the afflicted their right.
⁷He doesn't withdraw his eyes from the righteous, But with kings on the throne, He sets them forever, and they are exalted.
⁸If they are bound in fetters, And are taken in the cords of afflictions,
⁹Then he shows them their work, And their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
¹⁰He also opens their ears to instruction, And commands that they return from iniquity.
¹¹If they listen and serve him, They shall spend their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures.
¹²But if they don't listen, they shall perish by the sword; They shall die without knowledge.
¹³"But those who are godless in heart lay up anger. They don't cry for help when he binds them.
¹⁴They die in youth. Their life perishes among the unclean.
¹⁵He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, And opens their ear in oppression.
¹⁶Yes, he would have allured you out of distress, Into a broad place, where there is no restriction. That which is set on your table would be full of fatness.
¹⁷"But you are full of the judgment of the wicked. Judgment and justice take hold of you.
¹⁸Don't let riches entice you to wrath, Neither let the great size of a bribe turn you aside.
¹⁹Would your wealth sustain you in distress, Or all the might of your strength?
²⁰Don't desire the night, When people are cut off in their place.
²¹Take heed, don't regard iniquity; For this you have chosen rather than affliction.
²²Behold, God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?
²³Who has prescribed his way for him? Or who can say, 'You have committed unrighteousness?'
²⁴"Remember that you magnify his work, Whereof men have sung.
²⁵All men have looked thereon. Man sees it afar off.
²⁶Behold, God is great, and we don't know him. The number of his years is unsearchable.
²⁷For he draws up the drops of water, Which distill in rain from his vapor,
²⁸Which the skies pour down And drop on man abundantly.
²⁹Yes, can any understand the spreading of the clouds, And the thunderings of his pavilion?
³⁰Behold, he spreads his light around him. He covers the bottom of the sea.
³¹For by these he judges the people. He gives food in abundance.
³²He covers his hands with the lightning, And commands it to strike the mark.
³³The noise of it tells about him, And the cattle also concerning the storm that comes up.

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