36
✭Elihu continued and said,2 📚“Bear with me a little while, and I will show you that there is still more to be said on God’s behalf. 3 📚✭I will bring my knowledge from afar. I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. 4 📚And truly my words are not false; one who is perfect in knowledge is with you. 5 📚✭“See, God is mighty, but does not despise anyone; he is mighty in strength and wisdom. 6 📚He does not preserve the life of the wicked, but gives the poor their rights. 7 📚He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but seats them with kings on the throne; yes, he establishes them forever, and they are exalted. 8 📚But if they are bound in fetters and held by the cords of affliction, 9 📚Then he shows them their deeds, and the transgressions they have arrogantly committed.
10 📚He also opens their ear to instruction and commands them to turn back from iniquity.
11 📚If they obey and serve him, they will spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
12 📚But if they do not obey, they will perish by the sword✭, and they will die without knowledge.
13 📚“But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath; they do not cry out for his help when he binds them.
14 📚They die in youth, and their life ends among the male shrine prostitutes.
15 📚He delivers the poor in their affliction, and opens their ears to hear him in oppression.
16 📚“And also he would have brought you out of distress into a broad place free of restraint; and what is set on your table would have been full and rich.
17 📚But now your life is full of the judgment on the wicked; judgment and justice have taken hold of you.
18 📚✭Because of his wrath, beware that he does not take you away with a blow; for a great ransom would not be able to deliver you.
19 📚Will he esteem your riches? No, not gold or all the powers of strength.
20 📚Do not desire the night, when people are cut off from their places.
21 📚Be careful, do not turn to iniquity, which you have preferred to affliction.
22 📚✭“See, God is exalted in his power. Who teaches like him?
23 📚✭Who can appoint his way for him, or say, ‘You have done wrong?’
24 📚Remember to praise his work, which men see✭.
25 Everyone sees it; man looks on from afar.
26 📚See, God is great, and we do not know him; nor can the number of his years be searched out.
27 📚✭“For he draws up the drops of water✭; they distill as rain from the vapour✭,
28 📚Which the clouds pour out and let fall on man abundantly.
29 📚And can anyone understand how the clouds spread out, the thundering sound from his tent✭?
30 📚See, he spreads his light on it, and covers the depths of the sea.
31 📚Through these things he judges the peoples and gives food in abundance.
32 📚He conceals lightning in his hands✭, and commands it to strike the mark✭.
33 📚Its sound announces it.