Job 36

Elihu also proceeded, and said,

1Elihu, the young man talking to Job, kept going. He said:

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

2"Be patient with me a little longer. I have more to say for God."

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

3"I get what I know from far away. I will say my Maker does what is right."

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

4"My words are not lies. A man who really knows things is here with you."

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

5"Look, God is strong. But he does not look down on anyone. He is strong and wise."

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

6"He does not keep bad people alive. He treats hurting people fairly."

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.

7"He keeps his eyes on people who do right. He seats them with kings and lifts them high forever."

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

8"Sometimes people are tied up in chains. Trouble holds them tight like ropes."

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

9"Then God shows them what they did. He shows them how proud and wrong they were."

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

10"He opens their ears so they will listen and learn. He tells them to stop doing wrong."

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

11"If they listen and serve him, their days will go well. Their years will be happy."

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

12"If they will not listen, they die by the sword. They die never having learned."

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

13"People who do not care about God stay angry inside. Even when God ties them up, they do not call for help."

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

14"They die while they are still young. They spend their lives among people who do shameful things."

NoteThe old word here is "unclean." It means men who worked at temples for other gods and did shameful things there.

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

15"God rescues hurting people through the very thing that hurts them. He opens their ears when they are treated badly."

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.

16"God wanted to pull you out of a tight spot. He wanted to put you in a wide, open place. Your table would be full of rich food."

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

17"But right now you carry the punishment bad people get. Judging and fairness have taken hold of you."

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

18"Be careful. God is angry. Do not let his blow carry you away. Then even a big payment could not buy you back."

NoteThe old word here is "ransom." A ransom is money paid to set a person free.

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

19"Will your riches help you? No. Not gold. Not all your strength."

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

20"Do not wish for the night to come. That is when people are taken from their homes."

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

21"Be careful. Do not turn to doing wrong. You have picked that instead of your pain."

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

22"Look, God lifts people up by his power. No teacher is like him."

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

23"Nobody told God which way to go. Nobody can say to him, 'You did wrong.'"

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

24"Remember to praise the work God has done. People have looked at it and sung about it."

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

25"Everyone can see it. People can see it from far away."

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

26"Look, God is great. We cannot know all about him. No one can count his years."

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

27"He pulls up tiny drops of water. They come back down as rain out of the mist."

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

28"The clouds pour that rain out. It showers down on people everywhere."

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

29"Can anyone understand how the clouds spread out? Can anyone understand the thunder from God's tent in the sky?"

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

30"Look, he spreads his light all around him. He covers the deep bottom of the sea."

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

31"God uses these things to judge people. He also gives them plenty of food."

NoteThe old word here is "meat." In 1611 that word meant food of any kind, not just animal meat.

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

32"He covers the light with clouds. He tells it not to shine when a cloud gets in the way."

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

33"The thunder tells that a storm is coming. Even the cows know it is coming."