1 E lihu also proceeded, and said,

¶ And Elihu added and said,

2 S uffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf.

Wait for me a little, and I will teach thee; for I yet speak on God’s behalf.

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

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

4 F or truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.

For truly my words are not lies; for I share perfect knowledge with thee.

5 B ehold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.

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

6 H e preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.

He shall not give life to the wicked; but to the poor he shall give their right.

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

He 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.

8 A nd if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;

And if they were bound in fetters and captive in cords of affliction,

9 T hen he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.

then he shall show them their work and that their rebellions prevailed.

10 H e openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.

He 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 pleasures.

If they hearken and serve him, they shall spend their days in goodness and their years in delight.

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

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

13 B ut the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.

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

14 T hey die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.

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

15 H e delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.

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

16 E ven so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.

Likewise, 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.

17 B ut thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.

But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, against the judgment and the justice that sustain everything.

18 B ecause there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.

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

19 W ill he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.

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

20 D esire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.

Do not desire the night, when he cuts people off in their place.

21 T ake heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.

Take heed, do not regard iniquity, to choose it rather than poverty.

22 B ehold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?

Behold, God is exalted by his power; what teacher is like him?

23 W ho hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?

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

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

¶ Remember to magnify his work, which men behold.

25 E very man may see it; man may behold it afar off.

Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.

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 know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.

27 F or he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:

For he detains the drops of water; when the rain pours down rain out of its vapour,

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

which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.

29 A lso can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?

Shall you understand the spreadings of the clouds or the noise of his tent?

30 B ehold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.

Behold, he spreads his light upon it and covers the roots of the sea.

31 F or by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.

For by them he judges the peoples; he gives food to the multitude.

32 W ith clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.

With the clouds he covers the light and commands them to come against the light.

33 T he noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.

The one gives news of the other; the one acquires wrath against the one that comes.