Job 36

¹Elihu also proceeded, and said,

²Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.

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

⁴For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.

⁵Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.

⁶He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.

⁷He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.

⁸And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;

⁹Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.

¹⁰He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.

¹¹If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

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

¹³But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.

¹⁴They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.

¹⁵He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.

¹⁶Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.

¹⁷But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.

¹⁸Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.

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

²⁰Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.

²¹Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.

²²Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?

²³Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?

²⁴Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.

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

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

²⁷For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:

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

²⁹Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?

³⁰Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.

³¹For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.

³²With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.

³³The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.

Job 36

¹Eliu also proceeded, and said:

²Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee: for I have yet somewhat to speak in God's behalf.

³I will repeat my knowledge from the beginning, and I will prove my Maker just.

⁴For indeed my words are without a lie, and perfect knowledge shall be proved to thee.

⁵God doth not cast away the mighty, whereas he himself also is mighty.

⁶But he saveth not the wicked, and he giveth judgment to the poor.

⁷He will not take away his eyes from the just, and he placeth kings on the throne for ever, and they are exalted.

⁸And if they shall be in chains, and be bound with the cords of poverty:

⁹He shall shew them their works, and their wicked deeds, because they have been violent.

¹⁰He also shall open their ear, to correct them: and shall speak, that they may return from iniquity.

¹¹If they shall hear and observe, they shall accomplish their days in good, and their years in glory.

¹²But if they hear not, they shall pass by the sword, and shall be consumed in folly.

¹³Dissemblers and crafty men prove the wrath of God, neither shall they cry when they are bound.

¹⁴Their soul shall die in a storm, and their life among the effeminate.

¹⁵He shall deliver the poor out of his distress, and shall open his ear in affliction.

¹⁶Therefore he shall set thee at large out of the narrow mouth, and which hath no foundation under it: and the rest of thy table shall be full of fatness.

¹⁷Thy cause hath been judged as that of the wicked, cause and judgment thou shalt recover.

¹⁸Therefore let not anger overcome thee to oppress any man: neither let multitude of gifts turn thee aside.

¹⁹Lay down thy greatness without tribulation, and all the mighty of strength.

²⁰Prolong not the night that people may come up for them.

²¹Beware thou turn not aside to iniquity: for this thou hast begun to follow after misery.

²²Behold, God is high in his strength, and none is like him among the lawgivers.

²³Who can search out his ways? or who can say to him: Thou hast wrought iniquity?

²⁴Remember that thou knowest not his work, concerning which men have sung.

²⁵All men see him, every one beholdeth afar off.

²⁶Behold, God is great, exceeding our knowledge: the number of his years is inestimable.

²⁷He lifteth up the drops of rain, and poureth out showers like floods:

²⁸Which flow from the clouds that cover all above.

²⁹If he will spread out clouds as his tent,

³⁰And lighten with his light from above, he shall cover also the ends of the sea.

³¹For by these he judgeth people, and giveth food to many mortals.

³²In his hands he hideth the light, and commandeth it to come again.

³³He sheweth his friend concerning it, that it is his possession, and that he may come up to it.