1. And Elius further continued, and said,
2. Wait from me yet a little while, that I may teach thee: for there is yet speech in me.
3. Having fetched my knowledge from afar, and according to my works,
4. I will speak just things truly, and thou shalt not unjustly receive unjust words.
5. But know that the Lord will not cast off an innocent man: being mighty in strength of [Gr. heart] wisdom,
6. he will not by any means [Gr. quicken, or, bring to life] save alive the ungodly: and he will grant the judgement of the poor.
7. He will not turn away his eyes from the righteous, but they shall be with kings on the throne: and he will [Gr. seat] establish them in [Gr. for victory] triumph, and they shall be exalted.
8. But they that are bound in fetters shall be holden in cords of poverty.
9. And he shall recount to them their works, and their transgressions, [Alex. whenever they act] for such will act with violence.
10. But he will hearken to the righteous: and he has said that they shall turn from unrighteousness.
11. If they should hear and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in honour.
12. But he preserves not the ungodly; because they are not willing to know the Lord, and because when reproved they were disobedient.
13. And the hypocrites in heart will array wrath against themselves; they will not cry, because he has bound them.
14. Therefore let their soul die in youth, and their life be wounded by messengers of death.
15. Because they afflicted the weak and helpless: and he will vindicate the judgement of the meek.
16. And he has also enticed thee out of the mouth of the enemy:
17. there is a deep gulf and a [Gr. pouring down] rushing stream beneath it, and thy table came down full of fatness. Judgment shall not fail from the righteous;
18. but there shall be wrath upon the ungodly, by reason of the ungodliness of the bribes which they received for iniquities.
19. Let not thy mind willingly turn thee aside from the petition of the feeble that are in distress.
20. And draw not forth all the mighty men by night, so that the people should go up instead of them.
21. But take heed lest thou do that which is wrong: for of this thou has made choice because of poverty.
22. Behold, the Mighty One shall prevail by his strength: for who is powerful as he is?
23. And who is he that examines his works? or who can say, he has wrought injustice?
24. Remember that his works are great beyond those which men have [Lit. ruled over] attempted.
25. Every man has seen in himself, how many mortals are wounded.
26. Behold, the Mighty One is [Gr. numerous] great, and we shall not know him: the number of his years is even infinite.
27. And the drops of rain are numbered by him, and shall be poured out in rain to form a cloud.
28. The [Gr. antiquities] ancient heavens shall flow, and the clouds overshadow innumerable mortals: [(36:28AA)] he has fixed a time to cattle, and they know the order of rest. [(36:28BA)] Yet by all these things thy understanding is not astonished, neither is thy mind [Gr. changed from] disturbed in thy body.
29. And though one should understand the [Alex. epektasin] outspreadings of the clouds, or the measure of his tabernacle;
30. behold he will stretch his [Alex. ep authn to toxon, bow over it, sc. tabernacle] bow against him, and he covers the bottom of the sea.
31. For by them he will judge the nations: he will give food to him that has strength.
32. He has hidden the light in his hands, and given charge concerning it to the interposing cloud.
33. The Lord will declare concerning this to his friend: but there is a portion also for unrighteousness.