36 Then Elihu continued, saying:

Be patient with me a little longer, and I will inform you,
for there is still more to be said on God’s behalf.
I will get my knowledge from a distant place
and ascribe justice to my Maker.
For my arguments are without flaw;[a]
one who has perfect knowledge is with you.

Yes, God is mighty, but He despises no one;
He understands all things.[b](A)
He does not keep the wicked alive,(B)
but He gives justice to the afflicted.
He does not remove His gaze from the righteous,
but He seats them forever with enthroned kings,
and they are exalted.

If people are bound with chains
and trapped by the cords of affliction,
God tells them what they have done
and how arrogantly they have transgressed.
10 He opens their ears(C) to correction
and insists they repent from iniquity.
11 If they serve Him obediently,
they will end their days in prosperity
and their years in happiness.(D)
12 But if they do not obey,
they will cross the river of death[c]
and die without knowledge.(E)

13 Those who have a godless heart harbor anger;
even when God binds them, they do not cry for help.
14 They die in their youth;
their life ends among male cult prostitutes.(F)
15 God rescues the afflicted by their affliction;
He instructs them by their torment.

16 Indeed, He lured you from the jaws[d] of distress
to a spacious and unconfined place.
Your table was spread with choice food.
17 Yet now you are obsessed with the judgment due the wicked;
judgment and justice have seized you.
18 Be careful that no one lures you with riches;[e]
do not let a large ransom[f] lead you astray.(G)
19 Can your wealth[g] or all your physical exertion
keep you from distress?(H)
20 Do not long for the night
when nations will disappear from their places.
21 Be careful that you do not turn to iniquity,
for that is why you have been tested by[h] affliction.

22 Look, God shows Himself exalted by His power.
Who is a teacher like Him?
23 Who has appointed His way for Him,
and who has declared, “You have done wrong”?(I)
24 Remember that you should praise His work,
which people have sung about.(J)
25 All mankind has seen it;
people have looked at it from a distance.(K)
26 Yes, God is exalted beyond our knowledge;(L)
the number of His years cannot be counted.(M)
27 For He makes waterdrops evaporate;[i]
they distill the rain into its[j] mist,(N)
28 which the clouds pour out
and shower abundantly on mankind.
29 Can anyone understand how the clouds spread out
or how the thunder roars from God’s pavilion?(O)
30 See how He spreads His lightning(P) around Him
and covers the depths of the sea.
31 For He judges the nations with these;
He gives food in abundance.(Q)
32 He covers His hands with lightning
and commands it to hit its mark.
33 The[k] thunder declares His presence;[l]
the cattle also, the approaching storm.

Footnotes

  1. Job 36:4 Lit my words are not false
  2. Job 36:5 Lit He is mighty in strength of heart
  3. Job 36:12 Or will perish by the sword
  4. Job 36:16 Lit from a mouth of narrowness
  5. Job 36:18 Or you into mockery
  6. Job 36:18 Or bribe
  7. Job 36:19 Or cry for help
  8. Job 36:21 Or for you have preferred this to
  9. Job 36:27 Lit He draws in waterdrops
  10. Job 36:27 Or His
  11. Job 36:33 Lit His, or Its
  12. Job 36:33 Lit thunder announces concerning Him or it

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