Chapter 36

And Elihu addeth and saith: --

Honour me a little, and I shew thee, That yet for God are words.

I lift up my knowledge from afar, And to my Maker I ascribe righteousness.

For, truly, my words are not false, The perfect in knowledge is with thee.

Lo, God is mighty, and despiseth not, Mighty in power and heart.

He reviveth not the wicked, And the judgment of the poor appointeth;

He withdraweth not from the righteous His eyes, And from kings on the throne, And causeth them to sit for ever, and they are high,

And if prisoners in fetters They are captured with cords of affliction,

Then He declareth to them their work, And their transgressions, Because they have become mighty,

And He uncovereth their ear for instruction, And saith that they turn back from iniquity.

If they do hear and serve, They complete their days in good, And their years in pleasantness.

And if they do not hearken, By the dart they pass away, And expire without knowledge.

And the profane in heart set the face, They cry not when He hath bound them.

Their soul dieth in youth, And their life among the defiled.

He draweth out the afflicted in his affliction, And uncovereth in oppression their ear.

And also He moved thee from a strait place, To a broad place -- no straitness under it, And the sitting beyond of thy table Hath been full of fatness.

And the judgment of the wicked thou hast fulfilled, Judgment and justice are upheld -- because of fury,

Lest He move thee with a stroke, And the abundance of an atonement turn thee not aside.

Doth He value thy riches? He hath gold, and all the forces of power.

Desire not the night, For the going up of peoples in their stead.

Take heed -- do not turn unto iniquity, For on this thou hast fixed Rather than on affliction.

Lo, God doth sit on high by His power, Who is like Him -- a teacher?

Who hath appointed unto Him his way? And who said, `Thou hast done iniquity?`

Remember that thou magnify His work That men have beheld.

All men have looked on it, Man looketh attentively from afar.

Lo, God is high, And we know not the number of His years, Yea, there is no searching.

When He doth diminish droppings of the waters, They refine rain according to its vapour,

Which clouds do drop, They distil on man abundantly.

Yea, doth any understand The spreadings out of a cloud? The noises of His tabernacle?

Lo, He hath spread over it His light, And the roots of the sea He hath covered,

For by them He doth judge peoples, He giveth food in abundance.

By two palms He hath covered the light, And layeth a charge over it in meeting,

He sheweth by it to his friend substance, Anger against perversity.