Chapter 36
Elihu Describes God’s Power
1
And Elihu continued…:
𐤀𐤋𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤀 𐤅𐤉𐤎𐤐 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓
אֱלִיה֗וּא וַיֹּ֥סֶף וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ ’ĕ·lî·hū way·yō·sep̄ way·yō·mar — WLC · 1
2
“Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you that there is more to be said on God’s behalf.
𐤊𐤕𐤓 𐤋𐤉 𐤆𐤏𐤉𐤓 𐤅𐤀𐤇𐤅𐤊 𐤊𐤉 𐤏𐤅𐤃 𐤌𐤋𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤄
כַּתַּר־ לִ֣י זְ֭עֵיר וַאֲחַוֶּ֑ךָּ כִּ֤י ע֖וֹד מִלִּֽים׃ לֶאֱל֣וֹהַּ kat·tar- lî zə·‘êr wa·’ă·ḥaw·we·kā kî ‘ō·wḏ mil·lîm le·’ĕ·lō·w·ah — WLC · 2
3
I get my knowledge from afar, and I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
𐤀𐤔𐤀 𐤃𐤏𐤉 𐤋𐤌𐤓𐤇𐤅𐤒 𐤀𐤕𐤍 𐤑𐤃𐤒 𐤅𐤋𐤐𐤏𐤋𐤉
אֶשָּׂ֣א דֵ֭עִי לְמֵרָח֑וֹק אֶֽתֵּֽן־ צֶֽדֶק׃ וּ֝לְפֹעֲלִ֗י ’eś·śā ḏê·‘î lə·mê·rā·ḥō·wq ’et·tên- ṣe·ḏeq ū·lə·p̄ō·‘ă·lî — WLC · 3
4
For truly my words are free of falsehood; one perfect in knowledge is with you.
𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤌𐤍𐤌 𐤌𐤋𐤉 𐤋𐤀 𐤔𐤒𐤓 𐤕𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤃𐤏𐤅𐤕 𐤏𐤌𐤊
כִּֽי־ אָ֭מְנָם מִלָּ֑י לֹא־ שֶׁ֣קֶר תְּמִ֖ים דֵּע֣וֹת עִמָּֽךְ׃ kî- ’ā·mə·nām mil·lāy lō- še·qer tə·mîm dê·‘ō·wṯ ‘im·māḵ — WLC · 4
5
Indeed, God [is] mighty, but He despises no one; [He is] mighty in strength of understanding.
𐤄𐤍 𐤀𐤋 𐤊𐤁𐤉𐤓 𐤉𐤌𐤀𐤎 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤊𐤁𐤉𐤓 𐤊𐤇 𐤋𐤁
הֶן־ אֵ֣ל כַּ֭בִּיר יִמְאָ֑ס וְלֹ֣א כַּ֝בִּ֗יר כֹּ֣חַֽ לֵֽב׃ hen- ’êl kab·bîr yim·’ās wə·lō kab·bîr kō·aḥ lêḇ — WLC · 5
6
He does not keep the wicked alive, but He grants justice to the afflicted.
𐤋𐤀 𐤓𐤔𐤏 𐤉𐤇𐤉𐤄 𐤉𐤕𐤍 𐤅𐤌𐤔𐤐𐤈 𐤏𐤍𐤉𐤉𐤌
לֹא־ רָשָׁ֑ע יְחַיֶּ֥ה יִתֵּֽן׃ וּמִשְׁפַּ֖ט עֲנִיִּ֣ים lō- rā·šā‘ yə·ḥay·yeh yit·tên ū·miš·paṭ ‘ă·nî·yîm — WLC · 6
7
He does not take His eyes off the righteous, but He enthrones them… with kings and exalts them forever.
𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤂𐤓𐤏 𐤏𐤉𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤌𐤑𐤃𐤉𐤒 𐤋𐤊𐤎𐤀 𐤅𐤉𐤔𐤉𐤁𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤕 𐤌𐤋𐤊𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤉𐤂𐤁𐤄𐤅 𐤋𐤍𐤑𐤇
לֹֽא־ יִגְרַ֥ע עֵ֫ינָ֥יו מִצַּדִּ֗יק לַכִּסֵּ֑א וַיֹּשִׁיבֵ֥ם וְאֶת־ מְלָכִ֥ים וַיִּגְבָּֽהוּ׃ לָ֝נֶ֗צַח lō- yiḡ·ra‘ ‘ê·nāw miṣ·ṣad·dîq lak·kis·sê way·yō·šî·ḇêm wə·’eṯ- mə·lā·ḵîm way·yiḡ·bā·hū lā·ne·ṣaḥ — WLC · 7
8
And if men are bound with chains, caught in cords of affliction,
𐤅𐤀𐤌 𐤀𐤎𐤅𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤆𐤒𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤋𐤊𐤃𐤅𐤍 𐤁𐤇𐤁𐤋𐤉 𐤏𐤍𐤉
וְאִם־ אֲסוּרִ֥ים בַּזִּקִּ֑ים יִ֝לָּכְד֗וּן בְּחַבְלֵי־ עֹֽנִי׃ wə·’im- ’ă·sū·rîm baz·ziq·qîm yil·lā·ḵə·ḏūn bə·ḥaḇ·lê- ‘ō·nî — WLC · 8
9
then He tells them their deeds and how arrogantly they have transgressed.
𐤅𐤉𐤂𐤃 𐤋𐤄𐤌 𐤐𐤏𐤋𐤌 𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤕𐤂𐤁𐤓𐤅 𐤅𐤐𐤔𐤏𐤉𐤄𐤌
וַיַּגֵּ֣ד לָהֶ֣ם פָּעֳלָ֑ם כִּ֣י יִתְגַּבָּֽרוּ׃ וּ֝פִשְׁעֵיהֶ֗ם way·yag·gêḏ lā·hem pā·‘o·lām kî yiṯ·gab·bā·rū ū·p̄iš·‘ê·hem — WLC · 9
10
He opens their ears to correction and commands that they turn from iniquity.
𐤅𐤉𐤂𐤋 𐤀𐤆𐤍𐤌 𐤋𐤌𐤅𐤎𐤓 𐤅𐤉𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤁𐤅𐤍 𐤌𐤀𐤅𐤍
וַיִּ֣גֶל אָ֭זְנָם לַמּוּסָ֑ר וַ֝יֹּ֗אמֶר כִּֽי־ יְשֻׁב֥וּן מֵאָֽוֶן׃ way·yi·ḡel ’ā·zə·nām lam·mū·sār way·yō·mer kî- yə·šu·ḇūn mê·’ā·wen — WLC · 10
11
If they obey and serve [Him], then they end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness.
𐤀𐤌 𐤉𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤏𐤁𐤃𐤅 𐤉𐤊𐤋𐤅 𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤄𐤌 𐤁𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤅𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤄𐤌 𐤁𐤍𐤏𐤉𐤌𐤉𐤌
אִֽם־ יִשְׁמְע֗וּ וְֽיַ֫עֲבֹ֥דוּ יְכַלּ֣וּ יְמֵיהֶ֣ם בַּטּ֑וֹב וּ֝שְׁנֵיהֶ֗ם בַּנְּעִימִֽים׃ ’im- yiš·mə·‘ū wə·ya·‘ă·ḇō·ḏū yə·ḵal·lū yə·mê·hem baṭ·ṭō·wḇ ū·šə·nê·hem ban·nə·‘î·mîm — WLC · 11
12
But if they do not obey, then they perish by the sword and die without knowledge.
𐤅𐤀𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤅 𐤉𐤏𐤁𐤓𐤅 𐤁𐤔𐤋𐤇 𐤅𐤉𐤂𐤅𐤏𐤅 𐤊𐤁𐤋𐤉 𐤃𐤏𐤕
וְאִם־ לֹ֣א יִ֭שְׁמְעוּ יַעֲבֹ֑רוּ בְּשֶׁ֣לַח וְ֝יִגְוְע֗וּ כִּבְלִי־ דָֽעַת׃ wə·’im- lō yiš·mə·‘ū ya·‘ă·ḇō·rū bə·še·laḥ wə·yiḡ·wə·‘ū kiḇ·lî- ḏå̄·ʿaṯ — WLC · 12
13
The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when He binds them, they do not cry for help.
𐤅𐤇𐤍𐤐𐤉 𐤋𐤁 𐤉𐤔𐤉𐤌𐤅 𐤀𐤐 𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤎𐤓𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤔𐤅𐤏𐤅
וְֽחַנְפֵי־ לֵ֭ב יָשִׂ֣ימוּ אָ֑ף כִּ֣י אֲסָרָֽם׃ לֹ֥א יְ֝שַׁוְּע֗וּ wə·ḥan·p̄ê- lêḇ yā·śî·mū ’āp̄ kî ’ă·sā·rām lō yə·šaw·wə·‘ū — WLC · 13
14
They die in their youth, among the male shrine prostitutes.
𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤌 𐤕𐤌𐤕 𐤁𐤍𐤏𐤓 𐤅𐤇𐤉𐤕𐤌 𐤁𐤒𐤃𐤔𐤉𐤌
נַפְשָׁ֑ם תָּמֹ֣ת בַּנֹּ֣עַר וְ֝חַיָּתָ֗ם בַּקְּדֵשִֽׁים׃ nap̄·šām tā·mōṯ ban·nō·‘ar wə·ḥay·yā·ṯām baq·qə·ḏê·šîm — WLC · 14
15
God rescues the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ears in oppression.
𐤉𐤇𐤋𐤑 𐤏𐤍𐤉 𐤁𐤏𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤉𐤂𐤋 𐤀𐤆𐤍𐤌 𐤁𐤋𐤇𐤑
יְחַלֵּ֣ץ עָנִ֣י בְעָנְי֑וֹ וְיִ֖גֶל אָזְנָֽם׃ בַּלַּ֣חַץ yə·ḥal·lêṣ ‘ā·nî ḇə·‘ā·nə·yōw wə·yi·ḡel ’ā·zə·nām bal·la·ḥaṣ — WLC · 15
16
Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress to a spacious… and broad place, to a table full of richness.
𐤅𐤀𐤐 𐤄𐤎𐤉𐤕𐤊 𐤌𐤐𐤉 𐤑𐤓 𐤋𐤀 𐤌𐤅𐤑𐤒 𐤕𐤇𐤕𐤉𐤄 𐤅𐤍𐤇𐤕 𐤓𐤇𐤁 𐤔𐤋𐤇𐤍𐤊 𐤌𐤋𐤀 𐤃𐤔𐤍
וְאַ֤ף הֲסִיתְךָ֨׀ מִפִּי־ צָ֗ר לֹא־ מוּצָ֣ק תַּחְתֶּ֑יהָ וְנַ֥חַת רַ֭חַב שֻׁ֝לְחָנְךָ֗ מָ֣לֵא דָֽשֶׁן׃ wə·’ap̄ hă·sî·ṯə·ḵā mip·pî- ṣār lō- mū·ṣāq taḥ·te·hā wə·na·ḥaṯ ra·ḥaḇ šul·ḥā·nə·k̲ā mā·lê ḏā·šen — WLC · 16
17
But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have seized you.
𐤌𐤋𐤀𐤕 𐤅𐤃𐤉𐤍 𐤓𐤔𐤏 𐤃𐤉𐤍 𐤅𐤌𐤔𐤐𐤈 𐤉𐤕𐤌𐤊𐤅
מָלֵ֑אתָ וְדִין־ רָשָׁ֥ע דִּ֖ין וּמִשְׁפָּ֣ט יִתְמֹֽכוּ׃ mā·lê·ṯā wə·ḏîn- rā·šā‘ dîn ū·miš·pāṭ yiṯ·mō·ḵū — WLC · 17
18
- Be careful that no one lures you with riches; do not let a large bribe lead you astray.
𐤊𐤉 𐤇𐤌𐤄 𐤐𐤍 𐤉𐤎𐤉𐤕𐤊 𐤁𐤎𐤐𐤒 𐤀𐤋 𐤅𐤓𐤁 𐤊𐤐𐤓 𐤉𐤈𐤊
כִּֽי־ חֵ֭מָה פֶּן־ יְסִֽיתְךָ֣ בְסָ֑פֶק אַל־ וְרָב־ כֹּ֝֗פֶר יַטֶּֽךָּ׃ kî- ḥê·māh pen- yə·sî·ṯə·ḵā ḇə·sā·p̄eq ’al- wə·rāḇ- kō·p̄er yaṭ·ṭe·kā — WLC · 18
19
Can your wealth or all your mighty effort… keep you from distress?
𐤔𐤅𐤏𐤊 𐤅𐤊𐤋 𐤌𐤀𐤌𐤑𐤉 𐤊𐤇 𐤄𐤉𐤏𐤓𐤊 𐤋𐤀 𐤁𐤑𐤓
שׁ֭וּעֲךָ וְ֝כֹ֗ל מַאֲמַצֵּי־ כֹֽחַ׃ הֲיַעֲרֹ֣ךְ לֹ֣א בְצָ֑ר šū·‘ă·ḵā wə·ḵōl ma·’ă·maṣ·ṣê- ḵō·aḥ hă·ya·‘ă·rōḵ lō ḇə·ṣār — WLC · 19
20
Do not long for the night, when people vanish from their homes.
𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤔𐤀𐤐 𐤄𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤄 𐤏𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤋𐤏𐤋𐤅𐤕 𐤕𐤇𐤕𐤌
אַל־ תִּשְׁאַ֥ף הַלָּ֑יְלָה עַמִּ֣ים לַעֲל֖וֹת תַּחְתָּֽם׃ ’al- tiš·’ap̄ hal·lā·yə·lāh ‘am·mîm la·‘ă·lō·wṯ taḥ·tām — WLC · 20
21
Be careful not to turn to iniquity, for this you have preferred to affliction.
𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤓 𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤐𐤍 𐤀𐤋 𐤀𐤅𐤍 𐤊𐤉 𐤏𐤋 𐤆𐤄 𐤁𐤇𐤓𐤕 𐤌𐤏𐤍𐤉
הִ֭שָּׁמֶר אַל־ תֵּ֣פֶן אֶל־ אָ֑וֶן כִּֽי־ עַל־ זֶ֝֗ה בָּחַ֥רְתָּ מֵעֹֽנִי׃ hiš·šā·mer ’al- tê·p̄en ’el- ’ā·wen kî- ‘al- zeh bā·ḥar·tā mê·‘ō·nî — WLC · 21
22
Behold, God is exalted in His power. Who is a teacher like Him?
𐤄𐤍 𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤔𐤂𐤉𐤁 𐤁𐤊𐤇𐤅 𐤌𐤉 𐤌𐤅𐤓𐤄 𐤊𐤌𐤄𐤅
הֶן־ אֵ֭ל יַשְׂגִּ֣יב בְּכֹח֑וֹ מִ֖י מוֹרֶֽה׃ כָמֹ֣הוּ hen- ’êl yaś·gîḇ bə·ḵō·ḥōw mî mō·w·reh ḵā·mō·hū — WLC · 22
23
Who has appointed His way for Him, or told Him, ‘You have done wrong’?
𐤌𐤉 𐤐𐤒𐤃 𐤃𐤓𐤊𐤅 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤌𐤉 𐤀𐤌𐤓 𐤐𐤏𐤋𐤕 𐤏𐤅𐤋𐤄
מִֽי־ פָקַ֣ד דַּרְכּ֑וֹ עָלָ֣יו וּמִֽי־ אָ֝מַ֗ר פָּעַ֥לְתָּ עַוְלָֽה׃ mî- p̄ā·qaḏ dar·kōw ‘ā·lāw ū·mî- ’ā·mar pā·‘al·tā ‘aw·lāh — WLC · 23
24
Remember to magnify His work, which men have praised in song.
𐤆𐤊𐤓 𐤊𐤉 𐤕𐤔𐤂𐤉𐤀 𐤐𐤏𐤋𐤅 𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤀𐤍𐤔𐤉𐤌 𐤔𐤓𐤓𐤅
זְ֭כֹר כִּֽי־ תַשְׂגִּ֣יא פָעֳל֑וֹ אֲשֶׁ֖ר אֲנָשִֽׁים׃ שֹׁרְר֣וּ zə·ḵōr kî- ṯaś·gî p̄ā·‘o·lōw ’ă·šer ’ă·nā·šîm šō·rə·rū — WLC · 24
25
All mankind has seen it; men behold it from afar.
𐤊𐤋 𐤀𐤃𐤌 𐤇𐤆𐤅 𐤁𐤅 𐤀𐤍𐤅𐤔 𐤉𐤁𐤉𐤈 𐤌𐤓𐤇𐤅𐤒
כָּל־ אָדָ֥ם חָֽזוּ־ ב֑וֹ אֱ֝נ֗וֹשׁ יַבִּ֥יט מֵרָחֽוֹק׃ kāl- ’ā·ḏām ḥā·zū- ḇōw ’ĕ·nō·wōš yab·bîṭ mê·rā·ḥō·wq — WLC · 25
26
Indeed, God [is] great— beyond our knowledge; the number of His years is unsearchable…
𐤄𐤍 𐤀𐤋 𐤔𐤂𐤉𐤀 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤍𐤃𐤏 𐤌𐤎𐤐𐤓 𐤔𐤍𐤉𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤇𐤒𐤓
הֶן־ אֵ֣ל שַׂ֭גִּיא וְלֹ֣א נֵדָ֑ע מִסְפַּ֖ר שָׁנָ֣יו וְלֹא־ חֵֽקֶר׃ hen- ’êl śag·gîʾ wə·lō nê·ḏā‘ mis·par šā·nāw wə·lō- ḥê·qer — WLC · 26
27
For He draws up drops of water which distill the rain from the mist,
𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤂𐤓𐤏 𐤍𐤈𐤐𐤉 𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤆𐤒𐤅 𐤌𐤈𐤓 𐤋𐤀𐤃𐤅
כִּ֭י יְגָרַ֣ע נִטְפֵי־ מָ֑יִם יָזֹ֖קּוּ מָטָ֣ר לְאֵדֽוֹ׃ kî yə·ḡā·ra‘ niṭ·p̄ê- mā·yim yā·zōq·qū mā·ṭār lə·’ê·ḏōw — WLC · 27
28
which the clouds pour out and shower abundantly on mankind.
𐤀𐤔𐤓 𐤔𐤇𐤒𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤆𐤋𐤅 𐤉𐤓𐤏𐤐𐤅 𐤓𐤁 𐤏𐤋𐤉 𐤀𐤃𐤌
אֲשֶֽׁר־ שְׁחָקִ֑ים יִזְּל֥וּ יִ֝רְעֲפ֗וּ רָֽב׃ עֲלֵ֤י׀ אָדָ֬ם ’ă·šer- šə·ḥā·qîm yiz·zə·lū yir·‘ă·p̄ū rāḇ ‘ă·lê ’ā·ḏām — WLC · 28
29
Furthermore…, who can understand how the clouds spread out, how the thunder roars from His pavilion?
𐤀𐤐 𐤀𐤌 𐤉𐤁𐤉𐤍 𐤏𐤁 𐤌𐤐𐤓𐤔𐤉 𐤕𐤔𐤀𐤅𐤕 𐤎𐤊𐤕𐤅
אַ֣ף אִם־ יָ֭בִין עָ֑ב מִפְרְשֵׂי־ תְּ֝שֻׁא֗וֹת סֻכָּתֽוֹ׃ ’ap̄ ’im- yā·ḇîn ‘āḇ mip̄·rə·śê- tə·šu·’ō·wṯ suk·kā·ṯōw — WLC · 29
30
See how He scatters His lightning around Him and covers the depths of the sea.
𐤄𐤍 𐤐𐤓𐤔 𐤀𐤅𐤓𐤅 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤊𐤎𐤄 𐤅𐤔𐤓𐤔𐤉 𐤄𐤉𐤌
הֵן־ פָּרַ֣שׂ אוֹר֑וֹ עָלָ֣יו כִּסָּֽה׃ וְשָׁרְשֵׁ֖י הַיָּ֣ם hên- pā·raś ’ō·w·rōw ‘ā·lāw kis·sāh wə·šā·rə·šê hay·yām — WLC · 30
31
For by these He judges the nations and provides food in abundance.
𐤊𐤉 𐤁𐤌 𐤉𐤃𐤉𐤍 𐤏𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤕𐤍 𐤀𐤊𐤋 𐤋𐤌𐤊𐤁𐤉𐤓
כִּי־ בָ֭ם יָדִ֣ין עַמִּ֑ים יִֽתֶּן־ אֹ֥כֶל לְמַכְבִּֽיר׃ kî- ḇām yā·ḏîn ‘am·mîm yit·ten- ’ō·ḵel lə·maḵ·bîr — WLC · 31
32
- He fills His hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.
𐤏𐤋 𐤊𐤎𐤄 𐤊𐤐𐤉𐤌 𐤀𐤅𐤓 𐤅𐤉𐤑𐤅 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤄 𐤁𐤌𐤐𐤂𐤉𐤏
עַל־ כִּסָּה־ כַּפַּ֥יִם א֑וֹר וַיְצַ֖ו עָלֶ֣יהָ בְמַפְגִּֽיעַ׃ ‘al- kis·sāh- kap·pa·yim ’ō·wr way·ṣaw ‘ā·le·hā ḇə·map̄·gî·a‘ — WLC · 32
33
The thunder declares [His presence]; even the cattle… regard the rising [storm].
𐤓𐤏𐤅 𐤉𐤂𐤉𐤃 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤌𐤒𐤍𐤄 𐤀𐤐 𐤏𐤋 𐤏𐤅𐤋𐤄
רֵע֑וֹ יַגִּ֣יד עָלָ֣יו מִ֝קְנֶ֗ה אַ֣ף עַל־ עוֹלֶֽה׃ rê·‘ōw yag·gîḏ ‘ā·lāw miq·neh ’ap̄ ‘al- ‘ō·w·leh — WLC · 33