New Living Translation

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Elihu continued speaking:

1Then Elihu continued and said,

2“Let me go on, and I will show you the truth. For I have not finished defending God!

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 present profound arguments for the righteousness of my Creator.

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

4I am telling you nothing but the truth, for I am a man of great knowledge.

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

5“God is mighty, but he does not despise anyone! He is mighty in both power and understanding.

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

6He does not let the wicked live but gives justice to the afflicted.

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

7He never takes his eyes off the innocent, but he sets them on thrones with kings and exalts them forever.

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 they are bound in chains and caught up in a web of trouble,

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

9he shows them the reason. He shows them their sins of pride.

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

10He gets their attention and commands that they turn from evil.

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

11“If they listen and obey God, they will be blessed with prosperity throughout their lives. All their years will be pleasant.

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

12But if they refuse to listen to him, they will cross over the river of death, dying from lack of understanding.

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

13For the godless are full of resentment. Even when he punishes them, they refuse to cry out to him for help.

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

14They die when they are young, after wasting their lives in immoral living.

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

15But by means of their suffering, he rescues those who suffer. For he gets their attention through adversity.

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

16“God is leading you away from danger, Job, to a place free from distress. He is setting your table with the best 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.

17But you are obsessed with whether the godless will be judged. Don’t worry, judgment and justice will be upheld.

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

18But watch out, or you may be seduced by wealth. Don’t let yourself be bribed into sin.

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

19Could all your wealth or all your mighty efforts keep you from distress?

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

20Do not long for the cover of night, for that is when people will be destroyed.

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

21Be on guard! Turn back from evil, for God sent this suffering to keep you from a life of evil. Elihu Reminds Job of God’s Power

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

22“Look, God is all-powerful. Who is a teacher like him?

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

23No one can tell him what to do, or say to him, ‘You have done wrong.’

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

24Instead, glorify his mighty works, singing songs of praise.

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

25Everyone has seen these things, though only from a distance.

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

26“Look, God is greater than we can understand. His years cannot be counted.

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

27He draws up the water vapor and then distills it into rain.

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

28The rain pours down from the clouds, and everyone benefits.

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

29Who can understand the spreading of the clouds and the thunder that rolls forth from heaven?

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

30See how he spreads the lightning around him and how it lights up the depths of the sea.

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

31By these mighty acts he nourishes the people, giving them food in abundance.

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

32He fills his hands with lightning bolts and hurls each at its target.

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

33The thunder announces his presence; the storm announces his indignant anger.

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

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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