Holman Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Then Elihu continued, saying:

1Then Elihu continued and said,

2Be patient with me a little longer, and I will inform you, for there is still more to be said on God's behalf.

2"Wait for me a little, and I will show you That there is yet more to be said in God's behalf.

3I will get my knowledge from a distant place and ascribe justice to my Maker.

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

4For my arguments are without flaw; one who has perfect knowledge is with you.

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

5Yes, God is mighty, but He despises no one; He understands all things.

5"Behold, God is mighty but does not despise any; He is mighty in strength of understanding.

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

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

7He does not remove His gaze from the righteous, but He seats them forever with enthroned kings, and they are exalted.

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.

8If people are bound with chains and trapped by the cords of affliction,

8"And if they are bound in fetters, And are caught in the cords of affliction,

9God tells them what they have done and how arrogantly they have transgressed.

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

10He opens their ears to correction and insists they repent from iniquity.

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

11If they serve Him obediently, they will end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness.

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

12But if they do not obey, they will cross the river of death and die without knowledge.

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

13Those who have a godless heart harbor anger; even when God binds them, they do not cry for help.

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

14They die in their youth; their life ends among male cult prostitutes.

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

15God rescues the afflicted by their affliction; He instructs them by their torment.

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

16Indeed, He lured you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and unconfined place. Your table was spread with choice food.

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.

17Yet now you are obsessed with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have seized you.

17"But you were full of judgment on the wicked; Judgment and justice take hold of you.

18Be careful that no one lures you with riches; do not let a large ransom lead you astray.

18"Beware that wrath does not entice you to scoffing; And do not let the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.

19Can your wealth or all your physical exertion keep you from distress?

19"Will your riches keep you from distress, Or all the forces of your strength?

20Do not long for the night when nations will disappear from their places.

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

21Be careful that you do not turn to iniquity, for that is why you have been tested by affliction.

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

22Look, God shows Himself exalted by His power. Who is a teacher like Him?

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

23Who has appointed His way for Him, and who has declared, "You have done wrong"?

23"Who has appointed Him His way, And who has said, 'You have done wrong '?

24Remember that you should praise His work, which people have sung about.

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

25All mankind has seen it; people have looked at it from a distance.

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

26Yes, God is exalted beyond our knowledge; the number of His years cannot be counted.

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

27For He makes waterdrops evaporate; they distill the rain into its mist,

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

28which the clouds pour out and shower abundantly on mankind.

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

29Can anyone understand how the clouds spread out or how the thunder roars from God's pavilion?

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

30See how He spreads His lightning around Him and covers the depths of the sea.

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

31For He judges the nations with these; He gives food in abundance.

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

32He covers His hands with lightning and commands it to hit its mark.

32"He covers His hands with the lightning, And commands it to strike the mark.

33The thunder declares His presence; the cattle also, the approaching storm.

33"Its noise declares His presence; The cattle also, concerning what is coming up.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org