1 T hen Elihu continued and said,

Elihu also proceeded, and said,

2 “ Wait for me a little, and I will show you That there is yet more to be said in 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 fetch my knowledge from afar, And I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

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

4 “ For truly my words are not false; One 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 “ Behold, God is mighty but does not despise any; He is mighty in strength of understanding.

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

6 “ He does not keep the wicked alive, But gives justice to the afflicted.

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

7 “ He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous; But with kings on the throne He has seated them forever, 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 “ And if they are bound in fetters, And are caught in the cords of affliction,

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

9 T hen He declares to them their work And their transgressions, that they have magnified themselves.

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

10 “ He opens their ear to instruction, And commands that they return from evil.

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

11 “ If they hear and serve Him, They will end their days in prosperity And their years in pleasures.

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

12 “ But if they do not hear, they shall perish by the sword And they will die without knowledge.

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

13 “ But the godless in heart lay up anger; They do not cry for help when He binds them.

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

14 “ They die in youth, And their life perishes among the cult prostitutes.

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

15 “ He delivers the afflicted in their affliction, And opens their ear in time of oppression.

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

16 “ Then indeed, He enticed you from the mouth of distress, Instead of it, a broad place with no constraint; And that which was set on your table was 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 “ But you were full of judgment on the wicked; Judgment and justice take hold of you.

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

18 “ Beware that wrath does not entice you to scoffing; And do not let 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 “ Will your riches keep you from distress, Or all the forces of your strength?

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

20 “ Do not long for the night, When people vanish in their place.

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

21 “ Be careful, do not turn to evil, For you have preferred this to affliction.

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

22 “ Behold, God is exalted in His power; Who is a teacher like Him?

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

23 “ Who has appointed Him His way, And who has said, ‘ You have done wrong’?

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

24 “ Remember that you should exalt His work, Of which men have sung.

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

25 “ All men have seen it; Man beholds from afar.

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

26 “ Behold, God is exalted, and we do not know Him; The number of His years is unsearchable.

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

27 “ For He draws up the drops of water, They distill rain from the mist,

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

28 W hich the clouds pour down, They drip upon man abundantly.

Which the skies pour down And drop upon man abundantly.

29 “ Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds, The thundering of His pavilion?

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

30 “ Behold, He spreads His lightning about Him, And He covers the depths of the sea.

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

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

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

32 “ He 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 “ Its noise declares His presence; The cattle also, concerning what is coming up.

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