| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Elihu also proceeded, and said, | 1Then Elihu continued, saying: |
| 2Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf. | 2Be patient with me a little longer, and I will inform you, for there is still more to be said on God's behalf. |
| 3I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. | 3I will get my knowledge from a distant place and ascribe justice to my Maker. |
| 4For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee. | 4For my arguments are without flaw; one who has perfect knowledge is with you. |
| 5Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom. | 5Yes, God is mighty, but He despises no one; He understands all things. |
| 6He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor. | 6He does not keep the wicked alive, but He gives justice to the afflicted. |
| 7He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted. | 7He does not remove His gaze from the righteous, but He seats them forever with enthroned kings, and they are exalted. |
| 8And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction; | 8If people are bound with chains and trapped by the cords of affliction, |
| 9Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded. | 9God tells them what they have done and how arrogantly they have transgressed. |
| 10He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity. | 10He opens their ears to correction and insists they repent from iniquity. |
| 11If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. | 11If they serve Him obediently, they will end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness. |
| 12But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge. | 12But if they do not obey, they will cross the river of death and die without knowledge. |
| 13But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them. | 13Those who have a godless heart harbor anger; even when God binds them, they do not cry for help. |
| 14They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean. | 14They die in their youth; their life ends among male cult prostitutes. |
| 15He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression. | 15God rescues the afflicted by their affliction; He instructs them by their torment. |
| 16Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness. | 16Indeed, He lured you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and unconfined place. Your table was spread with choice food. |
| 17But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee. | 17Yet now you are obsessed with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have seized you. |
| 18Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. | 18Be careful that no one lures you with riches; do not let a large ransom lead you astray. |
| 19Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength. | 19Can your wealth or all your physical exertion keep you from distress? |
| 20Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place. | 20Do not long for the night when nations will disappear from their places. |
| 21Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction. | 21Be careful that you do not turn to iniquity, for that is why you have been tested by affliction. |
| 22Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him? | 22Look, God shows Himself exalted by His power. Who is a teacher like Him? |
| 23Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity? | 23Who has appointed His way for Him, and who has declared, "You have done wrong"? |
| 24Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold. | 24Remember that you should praise His work, which people have sung about. |
| 25Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off. | 25All mankind has seen it; people have looked at it from a distance. |
| 26Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out. | 26Yes, God is exalted beyond our knowledge; the number of His years cannot be counted. |
| 27For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof: | 27For He makes waterdrops evaporate; they distill the rain into its mist, |
| 28Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly. | 28which the clouds pour out and shower abundantly on mankind. |
| 29Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle? | 29Can anyone understand how the clouds spread out or how the thunder roars from God's pavilion? |
| 30Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea. | 30See how He spreads His lightning around Him and covers the depths of the sea. |
| 31For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance. | 31For He judges the nations with these; He gives food in abundance. |
| 32With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt. | 32He covers His hands with lightning and commands it to hit its mark. |
| 33The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour. | 33The thunder declares His presence; the cattle also, the approaching storm. |
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