English Standard Version

New Living Translation

1And Elihu continued, and said:

1Elihu continued speaking:

2“Bear with me a little, and I will show you, for I have yet something to say on God’s behalf.

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

3I will get my knowledge from afar and ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

3I will present profound arguments for the righteousness of my Creator.

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

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

5“Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any; he is mighty in strength of understanding.

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

6He does not keep the wicked alive, but gives the afflicted their right.

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

7He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne he sets them forever, and they are exalted.

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

8And if they are bound in chains and caught in the cords of affliction,

8If they are bound in chains and caught up in a web of trouble,

9then he declares to them their work and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.

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

10He opens their ears to instruction and commands that they return from iniquity.

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

11If they listen and serve him, they complete their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasantness.

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

12But if they do not listen, they perish by the sword and die without knowledge.

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

13“The godless in heart cherish anger; they do not cry for help when he binds them.

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

14They die in youth, and their life ends among the cult prostitutes.

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

15He delivers the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ear by adversity.

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

16He also allured you out of distress into a broad place where there was no cramping, and what was set on your table was full of fatness.

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

17“But you are full of the judgment on the wicked; judgment and justice seize you.

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

18Beware lest wrath entice you into scoffing, and let not the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.

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

19Will your cry for help avail to keep you from distress, or all the force of your strength?

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

20Do not long for the night, when peoples vanish in their place.

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

21Take care; do not turn to iniquity, for this you have chosen rather than affliction.

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

22Behold, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him?

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

23Who has prescribed for him his way, or who can say, ‘You have done wrong’?

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

24“Remember to extol his work, of which men have sung.

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

25All mankind has looked on it; man beholds it from afar.

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

26Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable.

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

27For he draws up the drops of water; they distill his mist in rain,

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

28which the skies pour down and drop on mankind abundantly.

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

29Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion?

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

30Behold, he scatters his lightning about him and covers the roots of the sea.

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

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

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

32He covers his hands with the lightning and commands it to strike the mark.

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

33Its crashing declares his presence; the cattle also declare that he rises.

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

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

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.