| Chapter 36 |
1 | Elihu also proceeded, and said,
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2 | Suffer me a little, and I will show thee; For I have yet somewhat to say on God's behalf.
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3 | I will fetch my knowledge from afar, And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
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4 | For truly my words are not false: One that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
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5 | Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: He is mighty in strength of understanding.
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6 | He preserveth not the life of the wicked, But giveth to the afflicted [their] right.
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7 | He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: But with kings upon the throne He setteth them for ever, and they are exalted.
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8 | And if they be bound in fetters, And be taken in the cords of afflictions;
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9 | Then he showeth them their work, And their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.
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10 | He openeth also their ear to instruction, And commandeth that they return from iniquity.
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11 | If they hearken and serve [him], They shall spend their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures.
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12 | But if they hearken not, they shall perish by the sword, And they shall die without knowledge.
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13 | But they that are godless in heart lay up anger: They cry not for help when he bindeth them.
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14 | They die in youth, And their life [perisheth] among the unclean.
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15 | He delivereth the afflicted by their affliction, And openeth their ear in oppression.
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16 | Yea, he would have allured thee 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.
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17 | But thou art full of the judgment of the wicked: Judgment and justice take hold [on thee].
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18 | For let not wrath stir thee up against chastisements; Neither let the greatness of the ransom turn thee aside.
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19 | Will thy cry avail, [that thou be] not in distress, Or all the forces of [thy] strength?
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20 | Desire not the night, When peoples are cut off in their place.
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21 | Take heed, regard not iniquity: For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
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22 | Behold, God doeth loftily in his power: Who is a teacher like unto him?
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23 | Who hath enjoined him his way? Or who can say, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?
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24 | Remember that thou magnify his work, Whereof men have sung.
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25 | All men have looked thereon; Man beholdeth it afar off.
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26 | Behold, God is great, and we know him not; The number of his years is unsearchable.
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27 | For he draweth up the drops of water, Which distil in rain from his vapor,
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28 | Which the skies pour down And drop upon man abundantly.
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29 | Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, The thunderings of his pavilion?
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30 | Behold, he spreadeth his light around him; And he covereth the bottom of the sea.
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31 | For by these he judgeth the peoples; He giveth food in abundance.
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32 | He covereth his hands with the lightning, And giveth it a charge that it strike the mark.
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33 | The noise thereof telleth concerning him, The cattle also concerning [the storm] that cometh up.
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