1 A nd Elihu proceeded and said,

Elihu proceeded and said,

2 S uffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet words for +God.

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

3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Creator.

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

4 F or truly my words shall be no falsehood: one perfect in knowledge is with thee.

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

5 L o, God is mighty, but despiseth not; mighty in strength of understanding:

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

6 H e saveth not the wicked alive; but he doeth justice to the afflicted.

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

7 H e withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne doth he even set them for ever; and they are exalted.

He 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.

8 A nd if, bound in fetters, they be held in cords of affliction,

And if they are bound in fetters and held by cords of affliction,

9 T hen he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions, because they have increased.

Then He shows to them their deeds and their transgressions, that they have acted arrogantly.

10 A nd he openeth their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.

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

11 I f they hearken and serve, they shall accomplish their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

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

12 B ut if they hearken not, they shall pass away by the sword, and expire without knowledge.

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

13 B ut the godless in heart heap up anger; they cry not when he bindeth them:

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

14 T heir soul dieth in youth, and their life is among the unclean.

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

15 B ut he delivereth the afflicted in his affliction, and openeth their ear in oppression.

He delivers the afflicted in their affliction and opens their ears in adversity.

16 E ven so would he have allured thee out of the jaws of distress into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and the supply of thy table full of fatness.

Indeed, 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.

17 B ut thou art full of the judgments of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold.

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

18 B ecause there is wrath, lest it take thee away through chastisement: then a great ransom could not avail thee.

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

19 W ill he esteem thy riches? Not gold, nor all the resources of strength!

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

20 D esire not the night, when peoples are cut off from their place.

Desire not the night, when peoples are cut off from their places;

21 T ake heed, turn not to iniquity; for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.

Take heed, turn not to iniquity, for this you have chosen rather than affliction.

22 L o, God is exalted in his power: who teacheth as he?

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

23 W ho hath appointed him his way? or who hath said, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?

Who has appointed God His way? Or who can say, You have done unrighteousness?

24 R emember that thou magnify his work, which men celebrate.

Remember that you magnify God’s work, of which men have sung.

25 A ll men look at it; man beholdeth afar off.

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

26 L o, God is great, and we comprehend not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.

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

27 F or he draweth up the drops of water: they distil in rain from the vapour which he formeth,

For He draws up the drops of water, which distil as rain from His vapor,

28 W hich the skies pour down drop upon man abundantly.

Which the skies pour down and drop abundantly upon mankind.

29 B ut can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, the crashing of his pavilion?

Not only that, but can anyone understand the spreadings of the clouds or the thunderings of His pavilion?

30 L o, he spreadeth his light around him, and covereth the bottom of the sea.

Behold, He spreads His lightning against the dark clouds and covers the roots of the sea.

31 F or with them he judgeth the peoples; he giveth food in abundance.

For by God executes judgment upon the peoples; He gives food in abundance.

32 h ands he covereth with lightning, and commandeth it where it is to strike.

He covers His hands with the lightning and commands it to strike the mark.

33 H is thundering declareth concerning him; the cattle even, concerning its coming.

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