Job, 36

1. Elihu went on speaking. He said:

1. And Eli'hu continued, and said:

2. Be patient a little longer while I explain, for I have more to say on God's behalf.

2. "Bear with me a little, and I will show you, for I have yet something to say on God's behalf.

3. I shall range far afield for my arguments to prove my Maker just.

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

4. I guarantee, nothing I shall say will be untrue: you have a man of sound learning here.

4. For truly my words are not false; one who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

5. God does not reject anyone whose heart is pure

5. "Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any; he is mighty in strength of understanding.

6. or let the sinner live on in all his power. He does accord fair judgement to the afflicted;

6. He does not keep the wicked alive, but gives the afflicted their right.

7. he does uphold what the upright deserve. When he raises kings to thrones, if they grow proud of their unending rule,

7. He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings upon the throne he sets them for ever, and they are exalted.

8. then he fetters them with chains, they are caught in the bonds of affliction.

8. And if they are bound in fetters and caught in the cords of affliction,

9. He shows them the import of their deeds, of the sins of pride they have committed.

9. then he declares to them their work and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.

10. In their ears he sounds a warning, ordering them to turn back from doing wrong.

10. He opens their ears to instruction, and commands that they return from iniquity.

11. If they take notice and obey him, the rest of their days are prosperous and the years pass pleasantly.

11. If they hearken and serve him, they complete their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasantness.

12. If not, they go down the Canal and perish in their stupidity.

12. But if they do not hearken, they perish by the sword, and die without knowledge.

13. The stubborn, who cherish their anger and do not cry for help when he chains them,

13. "The godless in heart cherish anger; they do not cry for help when he binds them.

14. die in the bloom of youth or live among the male prostitutes of the temple.

14. They die in youth, and their life ends in shame.

15. But God saves the afflicted by his affliction, warning him in his misery.

15. He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear by adversity.

16. You, too, he would like to snatch from torment. While you were enjoying boundless abundance, with rich food piled high on your table,

16. He also allured you out of distress into a broad place where there was no cramping, and what was set on your table was full of fatness.

17. you did not bring the wicked to trial and did not give fair judgement to the orphan.

17. "But you are full of the judgment on the wicked; judgment and justice seize you.

18. Beware of being led astray by abundance, of being corrupted by expensive presents.

18. Beware lest wrath entice you into scoffing; and let not the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.

19. Take the powerful to law, not merely the penniless, those whose arm is strong, not merely the weak.

19. Will your cry avail to keep you from distress, or all the force of your strength?

20. Do not crush people you do not know to install your relations in their place.

20. Do not long for the night, when peoples are cut off in their place.

21. Avoid any tendency to wrong-doing, for this is why affliction is testing you now.

21. Take heed, do not turn to iniquity, for this you have chosen rather than affliction.

22. See, God is sublime in his strength and who can teach lessons as he does?

22. Behold, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him?

23. Who has even told him which course to take, or dared to say to him, 'You have done wrong'?

23. Who has prescribed for him his way, or who can say, `Thou hast done wrong'?

24. Consider, rather, how you may praise his work, a theme that many have sung.

24. "Remember to extol his work, of which men have sung.

25. This is something that everyone can see, gazing, as we do, from afar.

25. All men have looked on it; man beholds it from afar.

26. Yes, the greatness of God exceeds our knowledge, the number of his years is past counting.

26. Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable.

27. It is he who makes the raindrops small and pulverises the rain into mist.

27. For he draws up the drops of water, he distils his mist in rain

28. And the clouds then pour this out, sending it streaming down on the human race.

28. which the skies pour down, and drop upon man abundantly.

29. And who can fathom how he spreads the clouds, or why such crashes thunder from his tent?

29. Can any one understand the spreading of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion?

30. He spreads a mist before him and covers the tops of the mountains.

30. Behold, he scatters his lightning about him, and covers the roots of the sea.

31. By these means, he sustains the peoples, giving them plenty to eat.

31. For by these he judges peoples; he gives food in abundance.

32. He gathers up the lightning in his hands, assigning it the mark where to strike.

32. He covers his hands with the lightning, and commands it to strike the mark.

33. His crashing gives warning of its coming, anger flashes out against iniquity.

33. Its crashing declares concerning him, who is jealous with anger against iniquity.