1 T hen Elihu spoke more and said,

Elihu proceeded and said,

2 “ Wait for me a little longer, and I will show you that there is yet more to be said 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 bring my learning from far away, and will tell how right and good my Maker is.

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

4 F or sure my words are not false. One who is perfect in much learning is with you.

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

5 “ See, God is powerful, but does not hate anyone. He is powerful 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 does not keep the sinful alive, but gives what is right and fair to those who are troubled.

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

7 H e does not turn His eyes away from those who are right with Him. He puts them on the throne with kings and they are honored forever.

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 I f they are tied up in chains and caught in the ropes of trouble,

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

9 t hen He makes known to them their work and their sins, that they have shown pride.

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

10 H e makes them listen to teaching, and tells them to turn away from sin.

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

11 I f they hear and serve Him, the rest of their days will be filled with what they need and their years with peace.

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 do not hear, they will die by the sword. They will die without learning.

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

13 “ But those who do not know God keep anger in their heart. They do not cry for help when He puts them in chains.

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

14 T hey die when they are young. And their life ends among those who sell the use of their bodies in the houses of the false gods.

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

15 H e takes those who suffer out of their suffering. He speaks to them in times of trouble.

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

16 H e led you from being close to trouble to a wide place where you were free with your table full of food.

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 “ But you wanted to punish the sinful. Punishment and being fair have taken hold of you.

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

18 B e careful or anger will tempt you to laugh at the truth. Do not take pay in secret for wrong-doing and be turned aside.

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

19 W ill your riches or all your power keep you from trouble?

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

20 D o not desire the night, when people are taken from their place.

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

21 B e careful, do not turn to sin. For you have chosen this instead of suffering.

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

22 S ee, God is honored in His power. Who is a teacher like Him?

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

23 W ho has told Him the way He should go? And who has said, ‘You have done wrong’?

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

24 “ Remember that you should honor His work, of which men have sung.

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

25 A ll men have seen it. Man sees it from far away.

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

26 S ee, God is honored, and we do not know Him. We are not able to know the number of His years.

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

27 F or He takes up the drops of water that become rain,

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

28 w hich the clouds pour down. Much rain falls on man.

Which the skies pour down and drop abundantly upon mankind.

29 C an anyone understand how the clouds are spread out, or how He thunders from His tent?

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

30 S ee, He spreads His lightning around Him and covers the bottom of the sea.

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

31 F or by these He judges the people and He gives much food.

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

32 H e covers His hands with the lightning, and tells it to hit the mark.

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

33 H is thunder tells of a storm coming, and cattle also know it is coming.

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