1 E lihu proceeded and said,

Elihu also proceeded, and said,

2 B ear with me and wait a little longer, and I will show you, for I have something still to say on God’s behalf.

Suffer me a little, and I will show thee; For I have yet somewhat to say on God's behalf.

3 I will bring my knowledge from afar and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

I will fetch my knowledge from afar, And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

4 F or truly my words shall not be false; He Who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

For truly my words are not false: One that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.

5 B ehold! God is mighty, and yet despises no one nor regards anything as trivial; He is mighty in power of understanding and heart.

Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: He is mighty in strength of understanding.

6 H e does not prolong the life of the wicked, but gives the needy and afflicted their right.

He preserveth not the life of the wicked, But giveth to the afflicted their right.

7 H e withdraws not His eyes from the righteous (the upright in right standing with God); but He sets them forever with kings upon the throne, and they are exalted.

He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: But with kings upon the throne He setteth them for ever, and they are exalted.

8 A nd if they are bound in fetters and held by cords of affliction,

And if they be bound in fetters, And be taken in the cords of afflictions;

9 T hen He shows to them their deeds and their transgressions, that they have acted arrogantly.

Then he showeth them their work, And their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly.

10 H e also opens their ears to instruction and discipline, and commands that they return from iniquity.

He openeth also their ear to instruction, And commandeth that they return from iniquity.

11 I f they obey and serve Him, they shall spend their days in prosperity and their years in pleasantness and joy.

If they hearken and serve him, They shall spend their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures.

12 B ut if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die in ignorance of true knowledge.

But if they hearken not, they shall perish by the sword, And they shall die without knowledge.

13 B ut the godless and profane in heart heap up anger; they do not cry to Him when He binds them.

But they that are godless in heart lay up anger: They cry not for help when he bindeth them.

14 T hey die in youth, and their life perishes among the unclean (those who are sodomites).

They die in youth, And their life perisheth among the unclean.

15 H e delivers the afflicted in their affliction and opens their ears in adversity.

He delivereth the afflicted by their affliction, And openeth their ear in oppression.

16 I ndeed, God would have allured you out of the mouth of distress into a broad place where there is no situation of perplexity or privation; and that which would be set on your table would be full of fatness.

Yea, he would have allured thee out of distress Into a broad place, where there is no straitness; And that which is set on thy table would be full of fatness.

17 B ut if you are filled with the judgment of the wicked, judgment and justice will keep hold on you.

But thou art full of the judgment of the wicked: Judgment and justice take hold on thee.

18 F or let not wrath entice you into scorning chastisements; and let not the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.

For let not wrath stir thee up against chastisements; Neither let the greatness of the ransom turn thee aside.

19 W ill your cry be sufficient to keep you from distress, or will all the force of your strength do it?

Will thy cry avail, that thou be not in distress, Or all the forces of thy strength?

20 D esire not the night, when peoples are cut off from their places;

Desire not the night, When peoples are cut off in their place.

21 T ake heed, turn not to iniquity, for this you have chosen rather than affliction.

Take heed, regard not iniquity: For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.

22 B ehold, God exalts and does loftily in His power; who is a ruler or a teacher like Him?

Behold, God doeth loftily in his power: Who is a teacher like unto him?

23 W ho has appointed God His way? Or who can say, You have done unrighteousness?

Who hath enjoined him his way? Or who can say, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?

24 R emember that you magnify God’s work, of which men have sung.

Remember that thou magnify his work, Whereof men have sung.

25 A ll men have looked upon God’s work; man may behold it afar off.

All men have looked thereon; Man beholdeth it afar off.

26 B ehold, God is great, and we know Him not! The number of His years is unsearchable.

Behold, God is great, and we know him not; The number of his years is unsearchable.

27 F or He draws up the drops of water, which distil as rain from His vapor,

For he draweth up the drops of water, Which distil in rain from his vapor,

28 W hich the skies pour down and drop abundantly upon mankind.

Which the skies pour down And drop upon man abundantly.

29 N ot only that, but can anyone understand the spreadings of the clouds or the thunderings of His pavilion?

Yea, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, The thunderings of his pavilion?

30 B ehold, He spreads His lightning against the dark clouds and covers the roots of the sea.

Behold, he spreadeth his light around him; And he covereth the bottom of the sea.

31 F or by God executes judgment upon the peoples; He gives food in abundance.

For by these he judgeth the peoples; He giveth food in abundance.

32 H e covers His hands with the lightning and commands it to strike the mark.

He covereth his hands with the lightning, And giveth it a charge that it strike the mark.

33 H is thunderings speak concerning Him; the cattle are told of His coming storm.

The noise thereof telleth concerning him, The cattle also concerning the storm that cometh up.