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.

“Bear with me a little, and I will show you That there are yet words to speak 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; I 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 who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

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, but despises no one; 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 does not preserve the life of the wicked, But gives justice to the oppressed.

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 does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous; But they are on the throne with kings, For He has seated them forever, And they are exalted.

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

And if they are bound in fetters, Held in the cords of affliction,

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

Then He tells them their work and their transgressions— That they have acted defiantly.

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

He also opens their ear to instruction, And commands that they turn 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 obey 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 do not obey, 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 the hypocrites in heart store up wrath; They do not cry for help when He binds 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 ends among the perverted persons.

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

He delivers the poor in their affliction, And opens their ears 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.

“Indeed He would have brought you out of dire distress, Into a broad place where there is no restraint; And what is set on your table would be full of richness.

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

But you are filled with the judgment due the wicked; Judgment and justice take hold of you.

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

Because there is wrath, beware lest He take you away with one blow; For a large ransom would not help you avoid it.

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

Will your riches, Or all the mighty forces, Keep you from distress?

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

Do not desire the night, When people are cut off in their place.

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

Take heed, do not turn to iniquity, For you have chosen this 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 is exalted by His power; Who teaches like Him?

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

Who has assigned Him His way, Or who has said, ‘You have done wrong’? Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty

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

“Remember to magnify His work, Of which men have sung.

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

Everyone has seen it; Man looks on it from afar.

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

“Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him; Nor can the number of His years be discovered.

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

For He draws up drops of water, Which distill as rain from the mist,

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

Which the clouds drop down And pour abundantly on man.

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

Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds, The thunder from His canopy?

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

Look, He scatters His light upon it, And covers the depths of the sea.

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

For by these He judges the peoples; He gives food in abundance.

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

He covers His hands with lightning, And commands it to strike.

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

His thunder declares it, The cattle also, concerning the rising storm.