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Elihu’s Speech Continues

36 Elihu continued:

“Listen to me a little longer, and I will show you
    that there is more to be said for God.
What I know comes from far away.
    I will show that my Maker is right.
You can be sure that my words are not false;
    one who really knows is with you.

“God is powerful, but he does not hate people;
    he is powerful and sure of what he wants to do.
He will not keep evil people alive,
    but he gives the poor their rights.
He always watches over those who do right;
    he sets them on thrones with kings
    and they are honored forever.
If people are bound in chains,
    or if trouble, like ropes, ties them up,
God tells them what they have done,
    that they have sinned in their pride.
10 God makes them listen to his warning
    and commands them to change from doing evil.
11 If they obey and serve him,
    the rest of their lives will be successful,
    and the rest of their years will be happy.
12 But if they do not listen,
    they will die by the sword,
    and they will die without knowing why.

13 “Those who have wicked hearts hold on to anger.
    Even when God punishes them, they do not cry for help.
14 They die while they are still young,
    and their lives end in disgrace.
15 But God saves those who suffer through their suffering;
    he gets them to listen through their pain.

16 “God is gently calling you from the jaws of trouble
    to an open place of freedom
    where he has set your table full of the best food.
17 But now you are being punished like the wicked;
    you are getting justice.
18 Be careful! Don’t be led away from God by riches;
    don’t let much money turn you away.
19 Neither your wealth nor all your great strength
    will keep you out of trouble.
20 Don’t wish for the night
    when people are taken from their homes.
21 Be careful not to turn to evil,
    which you seem to want more than suffering.

22 “God is great and powerful;
    no other teacher is like him.
23 No one has planned his ways for him;
    no one can say to God, ‘You have done wrong.’
24 Remember to praise his work,
    about which people have sung.
25 Everybody has seen it;
    people look at it from far off.
26 God is so great, greater than we can understand!
    No one knows how old he is.

27 “He evaporates the drops of water from the earth
    and turns them into rain.
28 The rain then pours down from the clouds,
    and showers fall on people.
29 No one understands how God spreads out the clouds
    or how he sends thunder from where he lives.
30 Watch how God scatters his lightning around him,
    lighting up the deepest parts of the sea.
31 This is the way God governs the nations;
    this is how he gives us enough food.
32 God fills his hands with lightning
    and commands it to strike its target.
33 His thunder announces the coming storm,
    and even the cattle know it is near.

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