Job 36, side by side

¹And Elihu continued:

¹Elihu also proceeded, and said,

²“Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you that there is more to be said on God’s behalf.

²Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.

³I get my knowledge from afar, and I will ascribe justice to my Maker.

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

⁴For truly my words are free of falsehood; one perfect in knowledge is with you.

⁴For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.

⁵Indeed, God is mighty, but He despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding.

⁵Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.

⁶He does not keep the wicked alive, but He grants justice to the afflicted.

⁶He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.

⁷He does not take His eyes off the righteous, but He enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.

⁷He 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.

⁸And if men are bound with chains, caught in cords of affliction,

⁸And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;

⁹then He tells them their deeds and how arrogantly they have transgressed.

⁹Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.

¹⁰He opens their ears to correction and commands that they turn from iniquity.

¹⁰He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.

¹¹If they obey and serve Him, then they end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness.

¹¹If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

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

¹²But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.

¹³The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when He binds them, they do not cry for help.

¹³But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.

¹⁴They die in their youth, among the male shrine prostitutes.

¹⁴They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.

¹⁵God rescues the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ears in oppression.

¹⁵He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.

¹⁶Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and broad place, to a table full of richness.

¹⁶Even 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.

¹⁷But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have seized you.

¹⁷But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.

¹⁸Be careful that no one lures you with riches; do not let a large bribe lead you astray.

¹⁸Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.

¹⁹Can your wealth or all your mighty effort keep you from distress?

¹⁹Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.

²⁰Do not long for the night, when people vanish from their homes.

²⁰Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.

²¹Be careful not to turn to iniquity, for this you have preferred to affliction.

²¹Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.

²²Behold, God is exalted in His power. Who is a teacher like Him?

²²Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?

²³Who has appointed His way for Him, or told Him, ‘You have done wrong’?

²³Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?

²⁴Remember to magnify His work, which men have praised in song.

²⁴Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.

²⁵All mankind has seen it; men behold it from afar.

²⁵Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.

²⁶Indeed, God is great—beyond our knowledge; the number of His years is unsearchable.

²⁶Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.

²⁷For He draws up drops of water which distill the rain from the mist,

²⁷For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:

²⁸which the clouds pour out and shower abundantly on mankind.

²⁸Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.

²⁹Furthermore, who can understand how the clouds spread out, how the thunder roars from His pavilion?

²⁹Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?

³⁰See how He scatters His lightning around Him and covers the depths of the sea.

³⁰Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.

³¹For by these He judges the nations and provides food in abundance.

³¹For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.

³²He fills His hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.

³²With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.

³³The thunder declares His presence; even the cattle regard the rising storm.

³³The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.