1 Elihu continued: |
2 "Bear with me a little longer and I will show you that there is more to be said in God's behalf. |
3 I get my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe justice to my Maker. |
4 Be assured that my words are not false; one perfect in knowledge is with you. |
5 "God is mighty, but does not despise men; he is mighty, and firm in his purpose. |
6 He does not keep the wicked alive but gives the afflicted their rights. |
7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever. |
8 But if men are bound in chains, held fast by cords of affliction, |
9 he tells them what they have done--that they have sinned arrogantly. |
10 He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil. |
11 If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment. |
12 But if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword and die without knowledge. |
13 "The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help. |
14 They die in their youth, among male prostitutes of the shrines. |
15 But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction. |
16 "He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. |
17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have taken hold of you. |
18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches; do not let a large bribe turn you aside. |
19 Would your wealth or even all your mighty efforts sustain you so you would not be in distress? |
20 Do not long for the night, to drag people away from their homes. |
21 Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to affliction. |
22 "God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him? |
23 Who has prescribed his ways for him, or said to him, 'You have done wrong'? |
24 Remember to extol his work, which men have praised in song. |
25 All mankind has seen it; men gaze on it from afar. |
26 How great is God--beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out. |
27 "He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams; |
28 the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind. |
29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion? |
30 See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea. |
31 This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance. |
32 He fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark. |
33 His thunder announces the coming storm; even the cattle make known its approach. |