New King James Version | NET Bible |
1Elihu also proceeded and said: | 1Elihu said further: |
2“Bear with me a little, and I will show you That there are yet words to speak on God’s behalf. | 2"Be patient with me a little longer and I will instruct you, for I still have words to speak on God's behalf. |
3I will fetch my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. | 3With my knowledge I will speak comprehensively, and to my Creator I will ascribe righteousness. |
4For truly my words are not false; One who is perfect in knowledge is with you. | 4For in truth, my words are not false; it is one complete in knowledge who is with you. |
5“Behold, God is mighty, but despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding. | 5Indeed, God is mighty; and he does not despise people, he is mighty, and firm in his intent. |
6He does not preserve the life of the wicked, But gives justice to the oppressed. | 6He does not allow the wicked to live, but he gives justice to the poor. |
7He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous; But they are on the throne with kings, For He has seated them forever, And they are exalted. | 7He does not take his eyes off the righteous; but with kings on the throne he seats the righteous and exalts them forever. |
8And if they are bound in fetters, Held in the cords of affliction, | 8But if they are bound in chains, and held captive by the cords of affliction, |
9Then He tells them their work and their transgressions— That they have acted defiantly. | 9then he reveals to them what they have done, and their transgressions, that they were behaving proudly. |
10He also opens their ear to instruction, And commands that they turn from iniquity. | 10And he reveals this for correction, and says that they must turn from evil. |
11If they obey and serve Him, They shall spend their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures. | 11If they obey and serve him, they live out their days in prosperity and their years in pleasantness. |
12But if they do not obey, They shall perish by the sword, And they shall die without knowledge. | 12But if they refuse to listen, they pass over the river of death, and expire without knowledge. |
13“But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath; They do not cry for help when He binds them. | 13The godless at heart nourish anger, they do not cry out even when he binds them. |
14They die in youth, And their life ends among the perverted persons. | 14They die in their youth, and their life ends among the male cultic prostitutes. |
15He delivers the poor in their affliction, And opens their ears in oppression. | 15He delivers the afflicted by their afflictions, he reveals himself to them by their suffering. |
16“Indeed He would have brought you out of dire distress, Into a broad place where there is no restraint; And what is set on your table would be full of richness. | 16And surely, he drew you from the mouth of distress, to a wide place, unrestricted, and to the comfort of your table filled with rich food. |
17But you are filled with the judgment due the wicked; Judgment and justice take hold of you. | 17But now you are preoccupied with the judgment due the wicked, judgment and justice take hold of you. |
18Because there is wrath, beware lest He take you away with one blow; For a large ransom would not help you avoid it. | 18Be careful that no one entices you with riches; do not let a large bribe turn you aside. |
19Will your riches, Or all the mighty forces, Keep you from distress? | 19Would your wealth sustain you, so that you would not be in distress, even all your mighty efforts? |
20Do not desire the night, When people are cut off in their place. | 20Do not long for the cover of night to drag people away from their homes. |
21Take heed, do not turn to iniquity, For you have chosen this rather than affliction. | 21Take heed, do not turn to evil, for because of this you have been tested by affliction. |
22“Behold, God is exalted by His power; Who teaches like Him? | 22Indeed, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him? |
23Who has assigned Him His way, Or who has said, ‘You have done wrong’? | 23Who has prescribed his ways for him? Or said to him, 'You have done what is wicked'? |
24“Remember to magnify His work, Of which men have sung. | 24Remember to extol his work, which people have praised in song. |
25Everyone has seen it; Man looks on it from afar. | 25All humanity has seen it; people gaze on it from afar. |
26“Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him; Nor can the number of His years be discovered. | 26"Yes, God is great--beyond our knowledge! The number of his years is unsearchable. |
27For He draws up drops of water, Which distill as rain from the mist, | 27He draws up drops of water; they distill the rain into its mist, |
28Which the clouds drop down And pour abundantly on man. | 28which the clouds pour down and shower on humankind abundantly. |
29Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds, The thunder from His canopy? | 29Who can understand the spreading of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion? |
30Look, He scatters His light upon it, And covers the depths of the sea. | 30See how he scattered his lightning about him; he has covered the depths of the sea. |
31For by these He judges the peoples; He gives food in abundance. | 31It is by these that he judges the nations and supplies food in abundance. |
32He covers His hands with lightning, And commands it to strike. | 32With his hands he covers the lightning, and directs it against its target. |
33His thunder declares it, The cattle also, concerning the rising storm. | 33His thunder announces the coming storm, the cattle also, concerning the storm's approach. |
|