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Job 36
EasyEnglish Bible
Job 36
EasyEnglish Bible
Elihu continues to speak[a]
36 Elihu continued to speak to Job. This is what he said:
2 ‘Be patient a little bit longer,
so that I can teach you some more.
I still have more to say
to show you that God is right.
3 I will tell you the many different things that I know.
I will show you that God, my Maker, is completely fair.
4 Everything that I say to you is true.
I am speaking to you as someone who knows everything.
5 God is very powerful
but he does not turn anyone away.
When he decides to do something,
he surely does it.
6 He does not allow wicked people to continue to live.
But he is always fair to those who are poor and weak.
7 He takes care of righteous people.
He gives them authority to rule like kings.
He gives them honour for ever.
8 People who do wrong things may suffer in prison.
Chains may hold their legs so that they cannot move.
9 When that happens,
God shows them what they have done.
He shows them their sins.
They have done wrong things because they are proud.
10 He tells them this to warn them.
They must turn away from wicked things.
11 They must obey him and agree to serve him.
If they do that, they will have everything that they need.
They will enjoy all the days that they live.
12 But if they refuse to listen to God,
they will go to their graves.
They will die
and they still will not understand what is right.
13 People who turn away from God are always angry.
Even when God punishes them,
they do not pray for help.
14 They die while they are still young.
Their lives finish in shame.
They live among the male prostitutes who serve false gods.
15 But God rescues people who suffer.
He uses their troubles to teach them about himself.
16 God has called you out of your troubles, Job.
He wants you to live in a safe place
where you have no problems.
He wants you to have a comfortable life
with plenty of good food to eat.
17 But now you have a lot of trouble,
because God is punishing you as wicked people deserve.
God is right and fair to judge you like that.
18 Be very careful!
Do not let anyone use their riches to deceive you.
Do not let them pay you a lot of money
to do something that is wrong.
19 Even if you become rich,
that would not keep you safe.
Even if you were strong and powerful,
that would not keep trouble away from you.
20 Do not wait for the night to hide what you want to do.
That is the time when people disappear from their homes.
21 Be careful! Do not try to do wicked things.
God has sent these troubles to test you.
He wants to stop you doing evil things.
22 Yes, God is very powerful.
There is no teacher as good as he is.
23 Nobody can tell him what he should do.
No one can say to him, “You have done things that are wrong.”
24 People sing songs to praise God
for the things that he has done.
You also should remember to praise him.
25 People everywhere have seen the things that God has done.
But we look at them from far away.
26 Yes, God is very great!
We cannot know him completely.
Nobody can count the number of his years!
27 It is God who pulls up water from the earth
to make the clouds.
Then he causes it to become rain.
28 The rain pours down from the clouds.
There is plenty for the people on the earth.
29 Who understands how the clouds move across the sky?
How does the noise of thunder come from God's home?
30 Look at the lightning that God sends all over the sky!
But he causes the bottom of the sea to remain dark.
31 This is the way that God rules the people of the world.
He sends the rain to give them plenty of food.
32 He sends his lightning like an arrow.
He commands it to hit the right place.
33 He sends thunder to show that a storm is coming.
Even the cows know what is happening.’
Footnotes
- 36:1 Perhaps the most important thing that Elihu says is in this chapter. God does help people who have trouble. Often this is the best time for them to hear God. And in chapters 36 and 37, Elihu describes for Job what God is like. God is always fair (chapter 36, verse 3). He is powerful and he does not hate anyone (chapter 36, verse 5). He is a good teacher (chapter 36, verse 22). He rules the world (chapter 36, verse 31). He speaks to people (chapter 37, verse 5). He does great things (chapter 37, verse 14). Only God is really wise (chapter 37, verse 24). And there are lots of other things about God that you can read about in these chapters.
Job 36
New International Version
Job 36
New International Version
36 Elihu continued:
2 “Bear with me a little longer and I will show you
that there is more to be said in God’s behalf.
3 I get my knowledge from afar;(A)
I will ascribe justice to my Maker.(B)
4 Be assured that my words are not false;(C)
one who has perfect knowledge(D) is with you.(E)
5 “God is mighty,(F) but despises no one;(G)
he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.(H)
6 He does not keep the wicked alive(I)
but gives the afflicted their rights.(J)
7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous;(K)
he enthrones them with kings(L)
and exalts them forever.(M)
8 But if people are bound in chains,(N)
held fast by cords of affliction,(O)
9 he tells them what they have done—
that they have sinned arrogantly.(P)
10 He makes them listen(Q) to correction(R)
and commands them to repent of their evil.(S)
11 If they obey and serve him,(T)
they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity(U)
and their years in contentment.(V)
12 But if they do not listen,
they will perish by the sword[a](W)
and die without knowledge.(X)
13 “The godless in heart(Y) harbor resentment;(Z)
even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.(AA)
14 They die in their youth,(AB)
among male prostitutes of the shrines.(AC)
15 But those who suffer(AD) he delivers in their suffering;(AE)
he speaks(AF) to them in their affliction.(AG)
16 “He is wooing(AH) you from the jaws of distress
to a spacious place(AI) free from restriction,(AJ)
to the comfort of your table(AK) laden with choice food.(AL)
17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked;(AM)
judgment and justice have taken hold of you.(AN)
18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches;
do not let a large bribe(AO) turn you aside.(AP)
19 Would your wealth(AQ) or even all your mighty efforts
sustain you so you would not be in distress?
20 Do not long for the night,(AR)
to drag people away from their homes.[b]
21 Beware of turning to evil,(AS)
which you seem to prefer to affliction.(AT)
22 “God is exalted in his power.(AU)
Who is a teacher like him?(AV)
23 Who has prescribed his ways(AW) for him,(AX)
or said to him, ‘You have done wrong’?(AY)
24 Remember to extol his work,(AZ)
which people have praised in song.(BA)
25 All humanity has seen it;(BB)
mortals gaze on it from afar.
26 How great is God—beyond our understanding!(BC)
The number of his years is past finding out.(BD)
27 “He draws up the drops of water,(BE)
which distill as rain to the streams[c];(BF)
28 the clouds pour down their moisture
and abundant showers(BG) fall on mankind.(BH)
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
how he thunders(BI) from his pavilion?(BJ)
30 See how he scatters his lightning(BK) about him,
bathing the depths of the sea.(BL)
31 This is the way he governs[d] the nations(BM)
and provides food(BN) in abundance.(BO)
32 He fills his hands with lightning
and commands it to strike its mark.(BP)
33 His thunder announces the coming storm;(BQ)
even the cattle make known its approach.[e](BR)
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