1 ¶ And Elihu added and said,

Elihu also proceeded and said:

2 W ait for me a little, and I will teach thee; for I yet speak 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 take 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 are not lies; for I share perfect knowledge with thee.

For truly my words are not false; One who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

5 ¶ Behold, God is mighty and does not despise; he is mighty in virtue of heart.

“Behold, God is mighty, but despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding.

6 H e shall not give life to the wicked; but to the poor he shall give their right.

He does not preserve the life of the wicked, But gives justice to the oppressed.

7 H e shall not withdraw his eyes from the righteous; but with kings he shall place them on the throne for ever, and they shall be 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 were bound in fetters and captive in cords of affliction,

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

9 t hen he shall show them their work and that their rebellions prevailed.

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

10 H e opens their ear to instruction and commands that they turn from iniquity.

He also opens their ear to instruction, And commands that they turn from iniquity.

11 I f they hearken and serve him, they shall spend their days in goodness and their years in delight.

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

12 B ut if they do not hearken, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.

But if they do not obey, They shall perish by the sword, And they shall die without knowledge.

13 B ut the hypocrites in heart shall irritate him more; they shall not cry out when he binds them.

“But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath; They do not cry for help when He binds them.

14 T heir soul shall die in youth, and their life is among the male pagan cult prostitutes.

They die in youth, And their life ends among the perverted persons.

15 ¶ He shall deliver the poor from his poverty, and in affliction shall open their ears.

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

16 L ikewise, he would have removed thee out of the mouth of anguish into a broad place where there is no distress and should have set thy table 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 thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, against the judgment and the justice that sustain everything.

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

18 T herefore it is to be feared that he take thee away with a stroke, which cannot be avoided even with a great ransom.

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 he esteem thy riches? No, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.

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

20 D o not desire the night, when he cuts people off in their place.

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

21 T ake heed, do not regard iniquity, to choose it rather than poverty.

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

22 B ehold, God is exalted by his power; what teacher is like him?

“Behold, God is exalted by His power; Who teaches like Him?

23 W ho has prescribed his way unto him? Or who shall say unto him, Thou hast wrought iniquity?

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

24 ¶ Remember to magnify his work, which men behold.

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

25 E very man may see it; 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, neither can the number of his years be searched out.

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

27 F or he detains the drops of water; when the rain pours down rain out of its vapour,

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

28 w hich the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.

Which the clouds drop down And pour abundantly on man.

29 S hall you understand the spreadings of the clouds or the noise of his tent?

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

30 B ehold, he spreads his light upon it 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 them he judges the peoples; he gives food to the multitude.

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

32 W ith the clouds he covers the light and commands them to come against the light.

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

33 T he one gives news of the other; the one acquires wrath against the one that comes.

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