Job 36
King James Version
36 Elihu also proceeded, and said,
2 Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.
7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.
8 And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;
9 Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
13 But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.
14 They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
15 He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
16 Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
17 But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.
18 Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.
19 Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.
20 Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?
23 Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?
24 Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.
25 Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.
26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
27 For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:
28 Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
29 Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
30 Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
31 For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.
32 With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.
33 The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
Job 36
American Standard Version
36 Elihu also proceeded, and said,
2 [a]Suffer me a little, and I will show thee;
For [b]I have yet somewhat to say on God’s behalf.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar,
And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words are not false:
One that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any:
He is mighty in strength of [c]understanding.
6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked,
But giveth to the afflicted their right.
7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous:
But with kings upon the throne
He setteth them for ever, and they are exalted.
8 And if they be bound in fetters,
And be taken in the cords of affliction;
9 Then he showeth them their work,
And their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
10 He openeth also their ear to instruction,
And commandeth that they return from iniquity.
11 If they hearken and serve him,
They shall spend their days in prosperity,
And their years in [d]pleasures.
12 But if they hearken not, they shall perish by [e]the sword,
And they shall die without knowledge.
13 But they that are godless in heart lay up anger:
They cry not for help when he bindeth them.
14 [f]They die in youth,
And their life perisheth [g]among the [h]unclean.
15 He delivereth the afflicted [i]by their affliction,
And openeth their ear [j]in oppression.
16 Yea, he would have allured thee [k]out of distress
Into a broad place, where there is no straitness;
And that which is set on thy table would be full of fatness.
17 But thou [l]art full of the judgment of the wicked:
Judgment and justice take hold on thee.
18 [m]For let not wrath stir thee up against chastisements;
Neither let the greatness of the ransom turn thee aside.
19 Will thy cry avail, that thou be not in distress,
Or all the forces of thy strength?
20 Desire not the night,
When peoples [n]are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, regard not iniquity:
For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God doeth loftily in his power:
Who is a teacher like unto him?
23 Who hath enjoined him his way?
Or who can say, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?
24 Remember that thou magnify his work,
Whereof men have sung.
25 All men have looked thereon;
Man beholdeth it afar off.
26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not;
The number of his years is unsearchable.
27 For he draweth up the drops of water,
Which distil in rain [o]from [p]his vapor,
28 Which the skies pour down
And drop upon man abundantly.
29 Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds,
The thunderings of his pavilion?
30 Behold, he spreadeth his light [q]around him;
And he [r]covereth the bottom of the sea.
31 For by these he judgeth the peoples;
He giveth food in abundance.
32 He covereth his hands with the [s]lightning,
And giveth it a charge [t]that it strike the mark.
33 The noise thereof telleth concerning [u]him,
The cattle also concerning [v]the storm that cometh up.
Footnotes
- Job 36:2 Hebrew Wait for.
- Job 36:2 Hebrew there are yet words for God.
- Job 36:5 Hebrew heart.
- Job 36:11 Or, pleasantness
- Job 36:12 Or, weapons
- Job 36:14 Hebrew Their soul dieth.
- Job 36:14 Or, like
- Job 36:14 Or, sodomites. See Dt. 23:17.
- Job 36:15 Or, in
- Job 36:15 Or, by adversity
- Job 36:16 Hebrew out of the mouth of.
- Job 36:17 Or, hast filled up
- Job 36:18 Or, Because there is wrath, beware lest thou be led away by thy sufficiency
- Job 36:20 Hebrew go up.
- Job 36:27 Hebrew belonging to.
- Job 36:27 Or, the vapor thereof
- Job 36:30 Or, thereon
- Job 36:30 Or, covereth it with the depths of the sea
- Job 36:32 Hebrew light.
- Job 36:32 Or, against the assailant
- Job 36:33 Or, it
- Job 36:33 Or, him
Job 36
Revised Standard Version
Elihu Exalts God’s Goodness
36 And Eli′hu continued, and said:
2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you,
for I have yet something to say on God’s behalf.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar,
and ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words are not false;
one who is perfect in knowledge is with you.
5 “Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any;
he is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive,
but gives the afflicted their right.
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 And if they are bound in fetters
and caught in the cords of affliction,
9 then he declares to them their work
and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.
10 He opens their ears to instruction,
and commands that they return from iniquity.
11 If they hearken and serve him,
they complete their days in prosperity,
and their years in pleasantness.
12 But if they do not hearken, they perish by the sword,
and die without knowledge.
13 “The godless in heart cherish anger;
they do not cry for help when he binds them.
14 They die in youth,
and their life ends in shame.[a]
15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction,
and opens their ear by adversity.
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 “But you are full of the judgment on the wicked;
judgment and justice seize you.
18 Beware lest wrath entice you into scoffing;
and let not the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.
19 Will your cry avail to keep you from distress,
or all the force of your strength?
20 Do not long for the night,
when peoples are cut off in their place.
21 Take heed, do not turn to iniquity,
for this you have chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God is exalted in his power;
who is a teacher like him?
23 Who has prescribed for him his way,
or who can say, ‘Thou hast done wrong’?
Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty
24 “Remember to extol his work,
of which men have sung.
25 All men have looked on it;
man beholds it from afar.
26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not;
the number of his years is unsearchable.
27 For he draws up the drops of water,
he[b] distils his mist in rain
28 which the skies pour down,
and drop upon man abundantly.
29 Can any one understand the spreading of the clouds,
the thunderings of his pavilion?
30 Behold, he scatters his lightning about him,
and covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by these he judges peoples;
he gives food in abundance.
32 He covers his hands with the lightning,
and commands it to strike the mark.
33 Its crashing declares concerning him,
who is jealous with anger against iniquity.
Public Domain (Why are modern Bible translations copyrighted?)
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.