36 Then Elihu continued:

2 Be patient with me a little longer

and I’ll show you that I still have words on God’s behalf.

3 I get my knowledge from a wide range of sources,

and as my foundation, I’ll use the creator’s justice.

4 I can assure you that I won’t say anything that’s false.

≈ The person with total knowledge is right here in front of you.

5 Listen, God is very powerful but he doesn’t despise people.

≈ He’s powerful and knows exactly what he wants.

6 He doesn’t preserve the life of evil people,

but he gives justice to those who are suffering.

7 He never stops protecting innocent people,

but he establishes kings on their thrones

to rule forever and to be honoured.

8 If they become prisoners in chains,

≈ tangled in the ropes of suffering,

9 then he tells them what they’ve done and how they disobeyed—

they were behaving proudly.

10 He makes them listen to instruction,

≈ and tells them to stop disobeying.

11 If they would listen and serve him,

they would live out their remaining days in prosperity,

≈ and their remaining years would be pleasant.

12 But if they don’t listen,

they’ll be killed in battle,

≈ and die without knowing what’s coming.

13 Those whose thoughts are godless will remain angry.

They won’t cry out for help when he captures them.

14 Their soul dies in its youth,

and their life is among the male temple prostitutes.

15 He uses their suffering to rescue the person suffering,

and makes them listen as a result of their difficulties.

16 Indeed, he’s enticed you out of the jaws of distress

to a wide place without constraints,

and he’s set your table with rich food.

17 You are always judging wicked people.

≈ You’re addicted to judgement and justice.

18 Don’t let yourself be enticed by riches,

≈ and don’t let a large bribe change your mind.

19 Can your wealth keep distress away from you,

or by using every effort of your strength?

20 Don’t wish for the night time,

when people groups are cut off in their place.

21 Watch out that you don’t choose evil,

because you’ve chosen that rather than suffering.

22 Listen, God is honoured because of his power.

Who’s a better teacher than him?

23 Who could possibly give orders to him,

≈ and who might accuse him of disobeying?

24 Make sure that you praise his actions,

which people have sung about.

25 All humankind has seen it.

≈ People look at it from a distance.

26 Listen, God must be honoured, but we don’t know him.

How could we determine how old he is?

27 He lifts up the droplets of water.

They form into rain from the vapour,

28 which then showers down from the clouds.

≈ They drop down on humankind in large quantities.

29 Who can understand how the clouds spread out?

Or the thundering coming from his porch?

30 Listen, he spreads his lightning out,

and he covers the depths of the sea.

31 He uses them to judge people groups.

He supplies plenty of food.

32 He directs the lightning with his hands,

≈ and instructs it where to strike.

33 Its thundering noise tells about him.

Even the livestock know what’s coming.

37 My heart also pounds after that

and it jumps away from its place.

2 Listen, hear his thunderous voice,

and the low rumbling that comes from his mouth.

3 He releases the thundering under all the skies,

≈ and his lightning to the end of the earth.

4 After that, a voice roars out.

He thunders with his majestic voice,

and he doesn’t restrain the lightning bolts.

5 When God speaks, it’s awesome, like thunder,

doing amazing things that we can’t even comprehend.

6 He tells the snow when to fall to the earth,

≈ and commands the shower of rain to become a downpour.

7 He puts a seal on everyone’s hands,

so that everyone knows that he made them.

8 The wild animals go into their lairs,

≈ and they stay inside their dens.

9 A gale comes out of its room,

and the cold is brought by the north winds.

10 God’s breath delivers ice,

and the wide lakes freeze over.

11 Indeed he loads the clouds with moisture.

He scatters his lightning through them.

12 They go round in circles then turning with his guidance—

following his instructions right across the earth,

13 whether it’s for correction or for the land,

or because of his favour that he causes it to happen.

14 Just listen to this, Iyyov.

Stand still and consider how incredible God’s actions are.

15 Do you understand how God makes these things happen,

and how his clouds are able to flash with lightning?

16 Do you know how the clouds balance at just that level?

Do you understand the activities of the one who has perfect knowledge?

17 You whose clothes get hot

when the south wind brings hot, still air.

18 Can you flatten out the sky like him,

as solid as a cast metal mirror.

19 Teach us what we should say to him.

We can’t get organised here in the darkness.

20 Should he be informed that I want to speak,

or will anyone who talks get swallowed up?

21 You know that people can’t look at the bright sunlight in the sky

when the wind has come through and cleared it.

22 Gold comes from the north. ???

Awesome majesty surrounds God.

23 We don’t know how to find the provider.

He has incredible power.

and he doesn’t violate justice or his integrity.

24 Because of that, people should obey him.

He doesn’t pay attention to those who are wise.