36:1 Elihu continued:
36:2 “Bear with me a little longer and I will show you that there is more to be said in God’s behalf.
36:3 I get my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
36:4 Be assured that my words are not false; one perfect in knowledge is with you.
36:5 “God is mighty, but does not despise men; he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.
36:6 He does not keep the wicked alive but gives the afflicted their rights.
36:7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.
36:8 But if men are bound in chains, held fast by cords of affliction,
36:9 he tells them what they have done–that they have sinned arrogantly.
36:10 He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil.
36:11 If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.
36:12 But if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword and die without knowledge.
36:13 “The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.
36:14 They die in their youth, among male prostitutes of the shrines.
36:15 But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction.
36:16 “He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food.
36:17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have taken hold of you.
36:18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches; do not let a large bribe turn you aside.
36:19 Would your wealth or even all your mighty efforts sustain you so you would not be in distress?
36:20 Do not long for the night, to drag people away from their homes.
36:21 Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to affliction.
36:22 “God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him?
36:23 Who has prescribed his ways for him, or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?
36:24 Remember to extol his work, which men have praised in song.
36:25 All mankind has seen it; men gaze on it from afar.
36:26 How great is God–beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out.
36:27 “He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams;
36:28 the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind.
36:29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion?
36:30 See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea.
36:31 This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance.
36:32 He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.
36:33 His thunder announces the coming storm; even the cattle make known its approach.
36:1 And Elihu added this and said,
36:2 Bear with me a little, and I will show you; / For there is more to say for God.
36:3 I will bring my knowledge from afar / And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
36:4 For truly my words are not false; / One perfect in knowledge is with you.
36:5 Indeed, God is mighty and does not despise; / He is mighty in strength of understanding.
36:6 He does not preserve the wicked man alive, / But gives justice to the afflicted.
36:7 He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous; / And with kings on the throne, / He sets them forever, and they are exalted.
36:8 And if they are bound in fetters, / If they are caught in the cords of affliction,
36:9 He shows them their work / And their transgressions, that they have acted arrogantly.
36:10 He also opens their ear to instruction / And commands that they return from iniquity.
36:11 If they hear and serve Him, / They will spend their days in prosperity / And their years in pleasantness.
36:12 But if they do not hear, they will pass away by the sword / And die without knowledge.
36:13 But those who are profane in heart lay up anger; / They do not cry for help when He binds them.
36:14 They die in youth, / And their life ends among the most defiled.
36:15 He rescues the afflicted by their affliction / And opens their ear through oppression.
36:16 Indeed He allures you from the jaws of distress / Into a spacious place, where there is no constraint; / And what is upon your table is full of fatness.
36:17 But you are filled with the judgment of the wicked; / Judgment and litigation have taken hold of you.
36:18 Beware lest wrath allures you into scoffing, / And do not let the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.
36:19 Will your cry keep you from being in distress, / Or all the forces of your strength?
36:20 Do not long for the night, / When people are taken from their place.
36:21 Take heed; do not turn toward iniquity; / For you have chosen this rather than affliction.
36:22 Indeed, God is exalted in His power: / Who is a teacher like Him?
36:23 Who has appointed His way for Him? / And who says, You have done wrong?
36:24 Remember to magnify His work, / Of which men sing.
36:25 All mankind has gazed on it; / Man beholds it from afar.
36:26 Indeed, God is great, and we do not know Him; / The number of His years we also cannot search out.
36:27 For He draws up the drops of water / Which distill into rain from His mist,
36:28 Which the skies pour down / And drop upon man abundantly.
36:29 Can they indeed understand the spreading of the clouds, / The thunderings of His pavilion?
36:30 Indeed, He scatters His lightning around Him / And covers the roots of the sea.
36:31 For by these He judges the peoples; / He gives food in abundance.
36:32 He fills His hands with lightning / And commands it to strike the mark.
36:33 Its noise tells of Him; / The cattle as well tell concerning Him who is coming.