Holman Christian Standard Bible

New Living Translation

1Then Elihu continued, saying:

1Elihu continued speaking:

2Be patient with me a little longer, and I will inform you, for there is still more to be said 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 a distant place and ascribe justice to my Maker.

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

4For my arguments are without flaw; one who has perfect knowledge is with you.

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

5Yes, God is mighty, but He despises no one; He understands all things.

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 He gives justice to the afflicted.

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

7He does not remove His gaze from the righteous, but He seats them forever with enthroned kings, and they are exalted.

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

8If people are bound with chains and trapped by the cords of affliction,

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

9God tells them what they have done and how arrogantly they have transgressed.

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

10He opens their ears to correction and insists they repent from iniquity.

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

11If they serve Him obediently, they will end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness.

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 obey, they will cross the river of death 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.

13Those who have a godless heart harbor anger; even when God binds them, they do not cry for help.

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

14They die in their youth; their life ends among male cult prostitutes.

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

15God rescues the afflicted by their affliction; He instructs them by their torment.

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

16Indeed, He lured you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and unconfined place. Your table was spread with choice food.

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

17Yet now you are obsessed with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have seized you.

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

18Be careful that no one lures you with riches; do not let a large ransom lead you astray.

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

19Can your wealth or all your physical exertion keep you from distress?

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

20Do not long for the night when nations will disappear from their places.

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

21Be careful that you do not turn to iniquity, for that is why you have been tested by 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

22Look, God shows Himself exalted by His power. Who is a teacher like Him?

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

23Who has appointed His way for Him, and who has declared, "You have done wrong"?

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

24Remember that you should praise His work, which people have sung about.

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

25All mankind has seen it; people have looked at it from a distance.

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

26Yes, God is exalted beyond our knowledge; the number of His years cannot be counted.

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

27For He makes waterdrops evaporate; they distill the rain into its mist,

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

28which the clouds pour out and shower abundantly on mankind.

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

29Can anyone understand how the clouds spread out or how the thunder roars from God's pavilion?

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

30See how He spreads His lightning around Him and covers the depths of the sea.

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

31For He judges the nations with these; He gives food in abundance.

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

32He covers His hands with lightning and commands it to hit its mark.

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

33The thunder declares His presence; the cattle also, the approaching storm.

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

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

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.