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Job 36
Job
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Chapter 36
The real meaning of Job’s sufferings
1
Elihu went on speaking. He said:
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Be patient with me a little longer while I explain, for I have more to say on God’s behalf.
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I will range far afield for my arguments to prove my Maker just.
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What I say contains no fallacies, I assure you, you see before you an enlightened man.
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God does not spurn the blameless man
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or let the sinner live on in all his power. He accords justice to the poor,
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and upholds the good man’s rights. When he raises kings to thrones, if they grow proud of their unending sway,
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then he fetters them with chains, binding them in the bondage of distress.
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He shows them all that they have done, and all the sins of pride they have committed.
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He whispers a message in their ears, urging them to amend themselves.
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If they listen and do as he says, their days end in happiness, and their closing years are full of ease.
12
If not, then a thunderbolt destroys them, and death comes on them unawares.
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Yes the stubborn who cherish anger, and when he shackles them, do not ask for help:
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they die in their youth, or lead a life despised by all.
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The wretched, however, he saves by their very wretchedness, and uses distress to open their eyes.
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For you, no less, he plans relief from sorrow. Once you lived in luxury unbounded, with rich food piled high on your table.
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But you did not execute justice on the wicked, you cheated orphaned children of their rights.
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In future beware of being led astray by riches, or corrupted by fat bribes.
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Prosecute the rich, not merely the penniless; strong-armed men as well as those who are powerless.
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Do not trample on those you do not know to install your relations in their place.
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Avoid any tendency to wrong-doing, for such has been the true cause of your trials.
A hymn to God’s wisdom and omnipotence
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Look, by reason of his power God is supreme, what teacher can be compared with him?
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Who has ever told him which course to take, or dared to say to him, ‘You have done wrong’?
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Turn your mind rather to praising his works, a theme that many men have sung:
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a sight that everyone can see, that man may gaze on from afar.
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Yes, the greatness of God exceeds our knowledge, the number of his years is past computing.
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He it is who keeps the raindrops back, dissolving the showers into mist,
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which otherwise the clouds would spill in floods over all mankind.
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Thanks to them he nourishes the nations with generous gifts of food.
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And who can fathom how he spreads the clouds, or why such crashes thunder from his tent?
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He spreads out the mist, wrapping it about him, and covers the tops of the mountains.
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He gathers up the lightning in his hands, choosing the mark it is to reach;
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his thunder gives warning of its coming: wrath overtakes iniquity.
Chapters of Job
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
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