Job 36
New Catholic Bible
Elihu’s Fourth Speech[a]
Chapter 36
God Renders Justice to the Afflicted.[b] 1 Elihu then proceeded further and said:
2 “Be patient a little longer while I instruct you,
for I have more to say on God’s behalf.
3 I will take my knowledge from afar
to support my assertion that my Master is just.
4 I promise that there will be no flaws in my arguments;
I come before you as a man of sound learning.
5 “God is mighty and does not recant;
he is great because of firmness of heart.
6 He does not let the wicked live on in all vigor
and renders justice to the afflicted.
7 He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous,
but he seats them forever with kings on the throne,
and they are exalted forever.
8 “He will also have sinners fettered with chains
and held fast by the bonds of affliction
9 after having denounced their conduct
and the sins of pride that they have committed.
10 He opens their ears to correction,
commanding them to turn back from their evil ways.
11 “If they obey and once again serve him,
they will live out their days in prosperity,
and their years will pass pleasantly.
12 But if they do not obey him,
they will cross the river of death
and die as a result of their stubbornness.
13 Those whose hearts turn away from God rage against him,
and they do not cry for help when he chains them.
14 They die in the bloom of their youth
after a dissolute life.
15 But God rescues the suffering from their affliction,
employing their distress to instruct them.
16 “He also seeks to snatch you from torment.
When you were enjoying a life of comfort
with abundant riches and plenteous food,
17 you refused to bring the wicked to trial
or to uphold the rights of the orphan.
18 Beware lest abundance cloud your judgment
and that you not be corrupted by lavish gifts.
19 Bring the powerful to justice, not merely the poor,
those who are powerful, not only the weak.
20 “Do not long for the night
when you can drag people away from their homes.
21 Take care not to turn to evil;
that is why you are now being tested by affliction.
God Is Truly Great[c]
22 “Behold, God is exalted in his power.
What teacher can equal him?
23 Who has prescribed the course he should follow?
Who can dare to say to him, ‘You have done wrong’?
24 “Therefore, remember to extol his work
which men have always praised in song.
25 All men can behold it,
admiring it from afar.
26 God is so great that he is beyond our understanding;
the number of his years is past counting.
27 “It is God who draws up drops of water
that he distills as rain to the streams.
28 His rain clouds pour down
and provide abundant water for mankind.
29 “Can anyone fathom how he spreads the clouds
as the carpeting of his tent?
30 Behold how he scatters his lightning
and covers the depths of the sea.
31 This is how he nourishes the nations,
providing food for them in abundance.
32 He holds the lightning in his hands
and commands it to strike the designated mark.
33 His thunder warns us of his coming
as he prepares for combat against iniquity.
Footnotes
- Job 36:1 With his usual excessive emphasis, Elihu repeats in his last discourse the main current beliefs on the justice and greatness of God: God does indeed reward the righteous and punish sinners (in direct contrast to Job’s assertions). The text, which is often corrupt, does not allow us always to determine just what is proper to Elihu.
- Job 36:1 God’s greatness consists in being just. He refutes the pretensions of the wicked and powerful and saves the poor. If Job could understand this, hope would arise in him. At times, the text speaks of poverty with the tone of the Gospel.
- Job 36:22 The sovereign wisdom of God radiates throughout the universe. In his hands, rain, tempest, and snow become calamities or benefits to accompany his justice in regard to human beings. This text is a lyrical chant of the power of God.
Job 36
Holman Christian Standard Bible
36 Then Elihu continued, saying:
2 Be patient with me a little longer, and I will inform you,
for there is still more to be said on God’s behalf.
3 I will get my knowledge from a distant place
and ascribe justice to my Maker.
4 For my arguments are without flaw;[a]
one who has perfect knowledge is with you.
5 Yes, God is mighty, but He despises no one;
He understands all things.[b](A)
6 He does not keep the wicked alive,(B)
but He gives justice to the afflicted.
7 He does not remove His gaze from the righteous,
but He seats them forever with enthroned kings,
and they are exalted.
8 If people are bound with chains
and trapped by the cords of affliction,
9 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
- Job 36:4 Lit my words are not false
- Job 36:5 Lit He is mighty in strength of heart
- Job 36:12 Or will perish by the sword
- Job 36:16 Lit from a mouth of narrowness
- Job 36:18 Or you into mockery
- Job 36:18 Or bribe
- Job 36:19 Or cry for help
- Job 36:21 Or for you have preferred this to
- Job 36:27 Lit He draws in waterdrops
- Job 36:27 Or His
- Job 36:33 Lit His, or Its
- Job 36:33 Lit thunder announces concerning Him or it
Job 36
La Biblia de las Américas
Eliú describe la grandeza de Dios
36 Entonces continuó Eliú, y dijo:
2 Espérame un poco, y te mostraré
que todavía hay más que decir en favor de[a] Dios.
3 Traeré mi conocimiento desde lejos,
y atribuiré justicia a mi Hacedor(A).
4 Porque en verdad no son falsas mis palabras(B);
uno perfecto en conocimiento(C) está contigo.
5 He aquí, Dios es poderoso pero no desprecia a nadie(D),
es poderoso en la fuerza del entendimiento(E).
6 No mantiene vivo al impío(F),
mas da justicia al afligido(G).
7 No aparta sus ojos del justo(H),
sino que, con los reyes sobre el trono,
los ha sentado para siempre, y son ensalzados(I).
8 Y si están aprisionados con cadenas,
y son atrapados en las cuerdas de aflicción(J),
9 entonces les muestra su obra
y sus transgresiones, porque ellos se han engrandecido(K).
10 Él abre sus oídos para la instrucción(L),
y ordena que se vuelvan del mal(M).
11 Si escuchan y le sirven,
acabarán sus días en prosperidad(N)
y sus años en delicias(O).
12 Pero si no escuchan, perecerán[b] a espada(P),
y morirán sin conocimiento(Q).
13 Mas los impíos de corazón acumulan la ira;
no claman pidiendo ayuda cuando Él los ata.
14 Mueren[c] en su juventud,
y su vida perece entre los sodomitas de cultos paganos(R).
15 Él libra al afligido en medio de su aflicción(S),
y abre su oído(T) en tiempos de opresión[d].
16 Entonces, en verdad, Él te atrajo(U) de la boca de la angustia,
a un lugar espacioso, sin limitaciones, en lugar de aquella;
y lo que se puso sobre tu mesa estaba lleno de grosura[e].
17 Pero tú estabas lleno de juicio sobre el malvado(V);
el juicio y la justicia se apoderan de ti.
18 Ten cuidado, no sea que el furor(W) te induzca a burlarte;
no dejes que la grandeza del rescate(X) te extravíe.
19 ¿Te protegerán tus riquezas[f] de la angustia,
o todas las fuerzas de tu poder?
20 No anheles la noche,
cuando los pueblos desaparecen[g] de su lugar(Y).
21 Ten cuidado, no te inclines al mal(Z);
pues has preferido este a la aflicción(AA).
22 He aquí, Dios es exaltado en su poder,
¿quién es maestro como Él(AB)?
23 ¿Quién le ha señalado su camino,
y quién le ha dicho: «Has hecho mal(AC)»?
24 Recuerda que debes ensalzar su obra(AD),
la cual han cantado(AE) los hombres.
25 Todos los hombres la han visto;
el hombre desde lejos la contempla.
26 He aquí, Dios es exaltado(AF), y no le conocemos(AG);
el número de sus años es inescrutable(AH).
27 Porque Él atrae las gotas de agua,
y ellas, del[h] vapor[i], destilan lluvia(AI),
28 que derraman las nubes,
y en abundancia gotean sobre el hombre.
29 ¿Puede alguno comprender la extensión de las nubes(AJ),
o el tronar(AK) de su pabellón[j]?
30 He aquí, Él extiende su relámpago[k] en derredor suyo,
y cubre los abismos del mar.
31 Pues por estos medios Él juzga(AL) a los pueblos,
y da alimento(AM) en abundancia.
32 Él cubre sus manos[l] con el relámpago[m],
y le ordena dar en el blanco(AN).
33 Su trueno anuncia su presencia[n](AO);
también el ganado, respecto a lo que se levanta.
Footnotes
- Job 36:2 Lit., palabras para
- Job 36:12 Lit., pasarán
- Job 36:14 O, Su alma muere
- Job 36:15 O, en la adversidad
- Job 36:16 O, era alimento sustancioso
- Job 36:19 O, Te protegerá...tu clamor
- Job 36:20 Lit., suben
- Job 36:27 Lit., de su
- Job 36:27 O, de la inundación
- Job 36:29 O, tienda
- Job 36:30 Lit., luz
- Job 36:32 Lit., palmas
- Job 36:32 Lit., la luz
- Job 36:33 Lit., respecto a Él
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