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Job 36
Easy-to-Read Version
Job 36
Easy-to-Read Version
36 Elihu continued talking and said,
2 “Be patient with me a little longer.
God has a few more words that he wants me to say.
3 I will share my knowledge with everyone.
I will prove that my Maker is right.
4 Job, I am telling the truth.
I know what I am talking about.
5 “God is very powerful, but he does not hate people.
He is very powerful, but he is also very wise.
6 He will not let evil people live.
He brings justice to the poor.
7 He watches over those who live right.
He lets them rule in high places.
8 So if people are punished,
if they are tied with chains and ropes, they did something wrong.
9 And God will tell them what they did,
that they sinned and were proud.
10 He will force them to listen to his warning.
He will command them to stop sinning.
11 If they serve and obey him, he will make them successful
and they will live a happy life.
12 But if they refuse to obey him, they will be destroyed.
They will die like fools.
13 “People who don’t care about God are always bitter.
Even when he punishes them, they refuse to pray to him for help.
14 They will die while they are still young,
like the male prostitutes.
15 God saves those who suffer by using their suffering.
He uses their troubles to speak in a way that makes them listen.
16 “In fact, God wants to help you out of your troubles.
He wants to take away your burdens that are crushing you.
He wants to load your table with plenty of food.
17 But you are full of this talk about guilt, judgment, and justice!
18 Job, don’t let your anger fill you with doubt about God.
And don’t let the price of forgiveness turn you away.
19 Do you think your wealth will keep you out of trouble?
Will your great strength be of any help to you now?
20 Don’t be like those who wish darkness would come and hide them.
They try to disappear into the night.[a]
21 Job, don’t let your suffering cause you to choose evil.
Be careful not to do wrong.
22 “Look, God’s power makes him great!
He is the greatest teacher of all.
23 No one can tell him what to do.
No one can say, ‘God, you have done wrong.’
24 Remember to praise him for what he has done,
as many others have done in song.
25 Everyone can see what he has done,
even people in faraway countries.
26 Yes, God is great, but we cannot understand his greatness.
We don’t know how long he has lived.
27 “God takes up water from the earth
and changes it into mist and rain.
28 So the clouds pour out the water,
and the rain falls on many people.
29 No one can understand how he spreads the clouds out
or how the thunder rumbles from his home in the sky.
30 Look, he spreads lightning all over the sky
and covers the deepest part of the ocean.
31 He uses them to control the nations
and to give them plenty of food.
32 He grabs the lightning with his hands,
and commands it to strike where he wants.
33 The thunder warns that a storm is coming.
So even the cattle know it is near.
Footnotes
- Job 36:20 The Hebrew text here is hard to understand.
Job 36
New International Version
Job 36
New International Version
36 Elihu continued:
2 “Bear with me a little longer and I will show you
that there is more to be said in God’s behalf.
3 I get my knowledge from afar;(A)
I will ascribe justice to my Maker.(B)
4 Be assured that my words are not false;(C)
one who has perfect knowledge(D) is with you.(E)
5 “God is mighty,(F) but despises no one;(G)
he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.(H)
6 He does not keep the wicked alive(I)
but gives the afflicted their rights.(J)
7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous;(K)
he enthrones them with kings(L)
and exalts them forever.(M)
8 But if people are bound in chains,(N)
held fast by cords of affliction,(O)
9 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)
Job 36
King James Version
Job 36
King James Version
36 Elihu also proceeded, and said,
2 Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.
7 He 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.
8 And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;
9 Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
13 But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.
14 They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
15 He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
16 Even 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.
17 But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.
18 Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.
19 Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.
20 Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?
23 Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?
24 Remember that thou 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 maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:
28 Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
29 Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
30 Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
31 For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.
32 With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.
33 The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
New International Version (NIV) 
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