Job 36
Living Bible
36 Elihu continued:
2 “Let me go on and I will show you the truth of what I am saying. For I have not finished defending God! 3 I will give you many illustrations of the righteousness of my Maker. 4 I am telling you the honest truth, for I am a man of well-rounded knowledge.
5 “God is almighty and yet does not despise anyone! And he is perfect in his understanding. 6 He does not reward the wicked with his blessings, but gives them their full share of punishment. 7 He does not ignore the good men but honors them by placing them upon eternal, kingly thrones. 8 If troubles come upon them and they are enslaved and afflicted, 9 then he takes the trouble to point out to them the reason, what they have done that is wrong, or how they have behaved proudly. 10 He helps them hear his instruction to turn away from their sin.
11 “If they listen and obey him, then they will be blessed with prosperity throughout their lives. 12 If they won’t listen to him, they shall perish in battle and die because of their lack of good sense. 13 But the godless reap his anger. They do not even return to him when he punishes them. 14 They die young after lives of dissipation and depravity. 15 He delivers by distress! This makes them listen to him!
16 “How he wanted to lure you away from danger into a wide and pleasant valley and to prosper you there. 17 But you are too preoccupied with your imagined grievances against others. 18 Watch out! Don’t let your anger at others lead you into scoffing at God! Don’t let your suffering embitter you at the only one who can deliver you. 19 Do you really think that if you shout loudly enough against God, he will be ashamed and repent? Will this put an end to your chastisement?
20 “Do not desire the nighttime, with its opportunities for crime. 21 Turn back from evil, for it was to prevent you from getting into a life of evil that God sent this suffering.
22 “Look, God is all-powerful. Who is a teacher like him? 23 Who can say that what he does is absurd or evil? 24 Instead, glorify him for his mighty works for which he is so famous. 25 Everyone has seen these things from a distance.
26 “God is so great that we cannot begin to know him. No one can begin to understand eternity. 27 He draws up the water vapor and then distills it into rain, 28 which the skies pour down. 29 Can anyone really understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunders within? 30 See how he spreads the lightning around him, and blankets the tops of the mountains. 31 By his fantastic powers in nature he punishes or blesses the people, giving them food in abundance. 32 He fills his hands with lightning bolts. He hurls each at its target. 33 We feel his presence in the thunder. Even the cattle know when a storm is coming.
Job 36
New Life Version
Elihu Keeps On Speaking
36 Then Elihu spoke more and said, 2 “Wait for me a little longer, and I will show you that there is yet more to be said for God. 3 I bring my learning from far away, and will tell how right and good my Maker is. 4 For sure my words are not false. One who is perfect in much learning is with you.
5 “See, God is powerful, but does not hate anyone. He is powerful in strength of understanding. 6 He does not keep the sinful alive, but gives what is right and fair to those who are troubled. 7 He does not turn His eyes away from those who are right with Him. He puts them on the throne with kings and they are honored forever. 8 If they are tied up in chains and caught in the ropes of trouble, 9 then He makes known to them their work and their sins, that they have shown pride. 10 He makes them listen to teaching, and tells them to turn away from sin. 11 If they hear and serve Him, the rest of their days will be filled with what they need and their years with peace. 12 But if they do not hear, they will die by the sword. They will die without learning.
13 “But those who do not know God keep anger in their heart. They do not cry for help when He puts them in chains. 14 They die when they are young. And their life ends among those who sell the use of their bodies in the houses of the false gods. 15 He takes those who suffer out of their suffering. He speaks to them in times of trouble. 16 He led you from being close to trouble to a wide place where you were free with your table full of food.
17 “But you wanted to punish the sinful. Punishment and being fair have taken hold of you. 18 Be careful or anger will tempt you to laugh at the truth. Do not take pay in secret for wrong-doing and be turned aside. 19 Will your riches or all your power keep you from trouble? 20 Do not desire the night, when people are taken from their place. 21 Be careful, do not turn to sin. For you have chosen this instead of suffering. 22 See, God is honored in His power. Who is a teacher like Him? 23 Who has told Him the way He should go? And who has said, ‘You have done wrong’?
24 “Remember that you should honor His work, of which men have sung. 25 All men have seen it. Man sees it from far away. 26 See, God is honored, and we do not know Him. We are not able to know the number of His years. 27 For He takes up the drops of water that become rain, 28 which the clouds pour down. Much rain falls on man. 29 Can anyone understand how the clouds are spread out, or how He thunders from His tent? 30 See, He spreads His lightning around Him and covers the bottom of the sea. 31 For by these He judges the people and He gives much food. 32 He covers His hands with the lightning, and tells it to hit the mark. 33 His thunder tells of a storm coming, and cattle also know it is coming.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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