Job 36

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Elihu proceeded further and said:	1 Elihu went on speaking. He said:
2 Wait yet a little and I will instruct you, for there are still words to be said on God's behalf.	2 Be patient a little longer while I explain, for I have more to say on God's behalf.
3 I will bring my knowledge from afar, and to my Maker I will accord the right.	3 I shal range far afield for my arguments to prove my Maker just.
4 For indeed, my theme cannot fail me: the one perfect in knowledge I set before you.	4 I guarantee, nothing I shal say wil be untrue: you have a man of sound learning here.
5 Behold, God rejects the obstinate in heart; he preserves not the life of the wicked.	5 God does not reject anyone whose heart is pure
6 He withholds not the just man's rights, but grants vindication to the oppressed,	6 or let the sinner live on in al his power. He does accord fair judgement to the afflicted;
7 And with kings upon thrones he sets them, exalted forever.	7 he does uphold what the upright deserve. When he raises kings to thrones, if they grow proud of theirunending rule,
8 Or if they are bound with fetters and held fast by bonds of affliction,	8 then he fetters them with chains, they are caught in the bonds of affliction.
9 Then he makes known to them what they have done and their sins of boastful pride.	9 He shows them the import of their deeds, of the sins of pride they have committed.
10 He opens their ears to correction and exhorts them to turn back from evil.	10 In their ears he sounds a warning, ordering them to turn back from doing wrong.
11 If they obey and serve him, they spend their days in prosperity, their years in happiness.	11 If they take notice and obey him, the rest of their days are prosperous and the years pass pleasantly.
12 But if they obey not, they perish; they die for lack of knowledge.	12 If not, they go down the Canal and perish in their stupidity.
13 The impious in heart lay up anger for themselves; they cry not for help when he enchains them;	13 The stubborn, who cherish their anger and do not cry for help when he chains them,
14 Therefore they expire in youth, and perish among the reprobate.	14 die in the bloom of youth or live among the male prostitutes of the temple.
15 But he saves the unfortunate through their affliction, and instructs them through distress.	15 But God saves the afflicted by his affliction, warning him in his misery.
	16 You, too, he would like to snatch from torment. While you were enjoying boundless abundance, withrich food piled high on your table,
	17 you did not bring the wicked to trial and did not give fair judgement to the orphan.
	18 Beware of being led astray by abundance, of being corrupted by expensive presents.
	19 Take the powerful to law, not merely the penniless, those whose arm is strong, not merely the weak.
20	20 Do not crush people you do not know to instal your relations in their place.
21 Take heed, turn not to evil; for you have preferred carousal to affliction.	21 Avoid any tendency to wrong-doing, for this is why affliction is testing you now.
22 Behold, God is sublime in his power. What teacher is there like him?	22 See, God is sublime in his strength and who can teach lessons as he does?
23 Who prescribes for him his conduct, or who can say, "You have done wrong"?	23 Who has even told him which course to take, or dared to say to him, 'You have done wrong'?
24 Remember, you should extol his work, which men have praised in song.	24 Consider, rather, how you may praise his work, a theme that many have sung.
25 All men contemplate it; man beholds it from afar.	25 This is something that everyone can see, gazing, as we do, from afar.
26 Lo, God is great beyond our knowledge; the number of his years is past searching out.	26 Yes, the greatness of God exceeds our knowledge, the number of his years is past counting.
27 He holds in check the waterdrops that filter in rain through his mists,	27 It is he who makes the raindrops smal and pulverises the rain into mist.
28 Till the skies run with them and the showers rain down on mankind.	28 And the clouds then pour this out, sending it streaming down on the human race.
	29 And who can fathom how he spreads the clouds, or why such crashes thunder from his tent?
30 Lo! he spreads the clouds in layers as the carpeting of his tent.	30 He spreads a mist before him and covers the tops of the mountains.
31 For by these he nourishes the nations, and gives them food in abundance.	31 By these means, he sustains the peoples, giving them plenty to eat.
32 In his hands he holds the lightning, and he commands it to strike the mark.	32 He gathers up the lightning in his hands, assigning it the mark where to strike.
33 His thunder speaks for him and incites the fury of the storm.	33 His crashing gives warning of its coming, anger flashes out against iniquity.