Job 36

Elihu Describes God’s Power

¹ And Elihu continued:

² “Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you

that there is more to be said on God’s behalf.

³ I get my knowledge from afar,

and I will ascribe justice to my Maker.

⁴ For truly my words are free of falsehood;

one perfect in knowledge is with you.

⁵ Indeed, God is mighty, but He despises no one;

He is mighty in strength of understanding.

⁶ He does not keep the wicked alive,

but He grants justice to the afflicted.

⁷ He does not take His eyes off the righteous,

but He enthrones them with kings

and exalts them forever.

⁸ And if men are bound with chains,

caught in cords of affliction,

⁹ then He tells them their deeds

and how arrogantly they have transgressed.

¹⁰ He opens their ears to correction

and commands that they turn from iniquity.

¹¹ If they obey and serve Him,

then they end their days in prosperity

and their years in happiness.

¹² But if they do not obey,

then they perish by the sword^a

and die without knowledge.

¹³ The godless in heart harbor resentment;

even when He binds them, they do not cry for help.

¹⁴ They die in their youth,

among the male shrine prostitutes.

¹⁵ God rescues the afflicted by their affliction^b

and opens their ears in oppression.

¹⁶ Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress

to a spacious and broad place,

to a table full of richness.

¹⁷ But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;

judgment and justice have seized you.

¹⁸ Be careful that no one lures you with riches;

do not let a large bribe lead you astray.

¹⁹ Can your wealth^c or all your mighty effort

keep you from distress?

²⁰ Do not long for the night,

when people vanish from their homes.

²¹ Be careful not to turn to iniquity,

for this you have preferred to affliction.

²² Behold, God is exalted in His power.

Who is a teacher like Him?

²³ Who has appointed His way for Him,

or told Him, ‘You have done wrong’?

²⁴ Remember to magnify His work,

which men have praised in song.

²⁵ All mankind has seen it;

men behold it from afar.

²⁶ Indeed, God is great—beyond our knowledge;

the number of His years is unsearchable.

²⁷ For He draws up drops of water

which distill the rain from the mist,

²⁸ which the clouds pour out

and shower abundantly on mankind.

²⁹ Furthermore, who can understand how the clouds spread out,

how the thunder roars from His pavilion?

³⁰ See how He scatters His lightning around Him

and covers the depths of the sea.

³¹ For by these He judges^d the nations

and provides food in abundance.

³² He fills His hands with lightning

and commands it to strike its mark.

³³ The thunder declares His presence;

even the cattle regard the rising storm.