Elihu Extols God’s Greatness
And Elihu continued, and said:
2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you,
for I have yet something to say on God’s behalf.
3 I will get my knowledge from aafar
and ascribe brighteousness to my cMaker.
4 For truly my words are not false;
one who is aperfect in knowledge is with you.
5 “Behold, God is mighty, and adoes not despise any;
he is bmighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive,
but gives athe afflicted their right.
7 He does not withdraw his aeyes from the righteous,
but with bkings on the throne
he sets them forever, and they are cexalted.
8 And if they are abound in chains
and caught in the cords of affliction,
9 then he declares to them their work
and their transgressions, that they are abehaving arrogantly.
10 He aopens their ears to instruction
and commands that they breturn from iniquity.
11 aIf they listen and serve him,
they bcomplete their days in prosperity,
and their years in pleasantness.
12 But if they do not listen, they aperish by the sword
and die bwithout knowledge.
13 “The agodless in heart cherish anger;
they do not cry for help when he bbinds them.
14 They adie in youth,
and their life ends among the cult prostitutes.
15 He delivers athe afflicted by their affliction
and bopens their ear by adversity.
16 He also allured you out of distress
into aa broad place where there was no cramping,
and what was set on your btable was full of cfatness.
17 “But you are full of the judgment on the wicked;
judgment and justice seize you.
18 Beware lest wrath entice you into scoffing,
and let not the greatness of athe ransom turn you aside.
19 Will your acry for help avail to keep you from distress,
or all the force of your strength?
20 Do not long for athe night,
when peoples vanish bin their place.
21 Take care; ado not turn to iniquity,
for this you have chosen rather than affliction.
22 Behold, God is exalted in his power;
who is aa teacher like him?
23 Who has aprescribed for him his way,
or who can say, b‘You have done wrong’?
24 “Remember to aextol his work,
of which men have bsung.
25 All mankind has looked on it;
man beholds it from afar.
26 Behold, God is great, and we aknow him not;
the number of his byears is unsearchable.
27 For he draws up the drops of water;
they distill his amist in brain,
28 which athe skies pour down
and drop on mankind abundantly.
29 Can anyone understand athe spreading of the clouds,
the thunderings of his bpavilion?
30 Behold, he scatters his lightning about him
and covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by these he ajudges peoples;
he gives bfood in abundance.
32 He covers his ahands with the lightning
and commands it to strike the mark.
33 Its crashing declares his presence;
the cattle also declare that he rises.