Elihu Describes God’s Power

1  וַיֹּ֥סֶף (And added) אֱלִיה֗וּא (Elihu) וַיֹּאמַֽר׃ (and said):

2  כַּתַּר־ (Surround) לִ֣י (unto me) זְ֭עֵיר (a little), וַאֲחַוֶּ֑ךָּ (and I will show you)

כִּ֤י (that) ע֖וֹד (yet) לֶאֱל֣וֹהַּ (to God) מִלִּֽים׃ (there are words).

3  אֶשָּׂ֣א (I will lift up) דֵ֭עִי (my knowledge) לְמֵרָח֑וֹק (from afar),

וּ֝לְפֹעֲלִ֗י (and to my Maker) אֶֽתֵּֽן־ (I will ascribe) צֶֽדֶק׃ (righteousness).

4  כִּֽי־ (For) אָ֭מְנָם (truly) לֹא־ (are not) שֶׁ֣קֶר (false) מִלָּ֑י (my words);

תְּמִ֖ים (the one complete) דֵּע֣וֹת (in knowledge) עִמָּֽךְ׃ (is with you).

5  הֶן־ (Behold), אֵ֣ל (God is) כַּ֭בִּיר (mighty), וְלֹ֣א (and not) יִמְאָ֑ס (He does despise);

כַּ֝בִּ֗יר (He is mighty) כֹּ֣חַֽ (in power) לֵֽב׃ (of heart).

6  לֹא־ (Not) יְחַיֶּ֥ה (does He keep alive) רָשָׁ֑ע (the wicked),

וּמִשְׁפַּ֖ט (and justice) עֲנִיִּ֣ים (to the afflicted) יִתֵּֽן׃ (He gives).

7  לֹֽא־ (Not) יִגְרַ֥ע (does He take away) מִצַּדִּ֗יק (from the righteous) עֵ֫ינָ֥יו (His eyes)

וְאֶת־ (and they are with) מְלָכִ֥ים (kings) לַכִּסֵּ֑א (on the throne);

וַיֹּשִׁיבֵ֥ם (and He has seated them) לָ֝נֶ֗צַח (forever), וַיִּגְבָּֽהוּ׃ (and they are exalted).

8  וְאִם־ (And if) אֲסוּרִ֥ים (they are bound) בַּזִּקִּ֑ים (in the fetters),

יִ֝לָּכְד֗וּן (caught) בְּחַבְלֵי־ (in the cords) עֹֽנִי׃ (of affliction),

9  וַיַּגֵּ֣ד (and he declares) לָהֶ֣ם (to them) פָּעֳלָ֑ם (their work) וּ֝פִשְׁעֵיהֶ֗ם (and their transgressions),

כִּ֣י (because) יִתְגַּבָּֽרוּ׃ (they magnified themselves).

10  וַיִּ֣גֶל (And He opens) אָ֭זְנָם (their ear) לַמּוּסָ֑ר (to correction),

וַ֝יֹּ֗אמֶר (and He says) כִּֽי־ (that) יְשֻׁב֥וּן (they should turn back) מֵאָֽוֶן׃ (from iniquity).

11  אִֽם־ (If) יִשְׁמְע֗וּ (they do hear) וְֽיַ֫עֲבֹ֥דוּ (and serve),

יְכַלּ֣וּ (they will complete) יְמֵיהֶ֣ם (their days) בַּטּ֑וֹב (in good),

וּ֝שְׁנֵיהֶ֗ם (and their years) בַּנְּעִימִֽים׃ (in pleasantness).

12  וְאִם־ (And if) לֹ֣א (not) יִ֭שְׁמְעוּ (they obey),

בְּשֶׁ֣לַח (by a weapon) יַעֲבֹ֑רוּ (they shall pass away),

וְ֝יִגְוְע֗וּ (and they shall die) כִּבְלִי־ (as without) דָֽעַת׃ (knowledge).

13  וְֽחַנְפֵי־ (And the godless) לֵ֭ב (of heart) יָשִׂ֣ימוּ (set) אָ֑ף (the nose);

לֹ֥א (not) יְ֝שַׁוְּע֗וּ (they do cry out) כִּ֣י (when) אֲסָרָֽם׃ (He binds them).

14  תָּמֹ֣ת (Dies) בַּנֹּ֣עַר (in youth) נַפְשָׁ֑ם (their soul),

וְ֝חַיָּתָ֗ם (and their life) בַּקְּדֵשִֽׁים׃ (among the male shrine prostitutes).

15  יְחַלֵּ֣ץ (He rescues) עָנִ֣י (the afflicted one) בְעָנְי֑וֹ (by his affliction),

וְיִ֖גֶל (and uncovers) בַּלַּ֣חַץ (by oppression) אָזְנָֽם׃ (their ear).

16  וְאַ֤ף (And indeed) הֲסִיתְךָ֨׀ (He has drawn you) מִפִּי־ (from the mouth) צָ֗ר (of distress)

רַ֭חַב (into a broad place) לֹא־ (without) מוּצָ֣ק (constraint) תַּחְתֶּ֑יהָ (under it),

וְנַ֥חַת (and the resting) שֻׁ֝לְחָנְךָ֗ (of your table) מָ֣לֵא (is full) דָֽשֶׁן׃ (of richness).

17  וְדִין־ (And with the judgment) רָשָׁ֥ע (of the wicked) מָלֵ֑אתָ (you are filled);

דִּ֖ין (judgment) וּמִשְׁפָּ֣ט (and justice) יִתְמֹֽכוּ׃ (take hold),

18  כִּֽי־ (watch out for) חֵ֭מָה (wrath), פֶּן־ (lest) יְסִֽיתְךָ֣ (it entice you) בְסָ֑פֶק (with mocking);

וְרָב־ (and a large) כֹּ֝֗פֶר (bribe) אַל־ (not) יַטֶּֽךָּ׃ (let it stretch you),

19  הֲיַעֲרֹ֣ךְ (can it make arrangement) שׁ֭וּעֲךָ (your opulence) לֹ֣א (not) בְצָ֑ר (in time of distress),

וְ֝כֹ֗ל (or all) מַאֲמַצֵּי־ (the forces) כֹֽחַ׃ (of strength).

20  אַל־ (Do not) תִּשְׁאַ֥ף (long for) הַלָּ֑יְלָה (the night),

לַעֲל֖וֹת (for the coming up) עַמִּ֣ים (of peoples) תַּחְתָּֽם׃ (in place of them).

21  הִ֭שָּׁמֶר (Take heed) אַל־ (not) תֵּ֣פֶן (to turn) אֶל־ (to) אָ֑וֶן (iniquity),

כִּֽי־ (for) עַל־ (upon) זֶ֝֗ה (this) בָּחַ֥רְתָּ (you have been chosen), מֵעֹֽנִי׃ (by affliction).

22  הֶן־ (Behold), אֵ֭ל (God) יַשְׂגִּ֣יב (is exalted) בְּכֹח֑וֹ (in His power);

מִ֖י (who is) כָמֹ֣הוּ (like Him) מוֹרֶֽה׃ (a teacher)?

23  מִֽי־ (Who) פָקַ֣ד (has appointed) עָלָ֣יו (for Him) דַּרְכּ֑וֹ (His way)?

וּמִֽי־ (Or who) אָ֝מַ֗ר (has said), פָּעַ֥לְתָּ (You have done) עַוְלָֽה׃ (unrighteousness)?

24  זְ֭כֹר (Remember) כִּֽי־ (that) תַשְׂגִּ֣יא (you should magnify) פָעֳל֑וֹ (His work),

אֲשֶׁ֖ר (of which) שֹׁרְר֣וּ (have sung) אֲנָשִֽׁים׃ (men).

25  כָּל־ (Every) אָדָ֥ם (man) חָֽזוּ־ (has gazed) ב֑וֹ (on it);

אֱ֝נ֗וֹשׁ (mankind) יַבִּ֥יט (looks on it) מֵרָחֽוֹק׃ (from afar).

26  הֶן־ (Behold), אֵ֣ל (God is) שַׂ֭גִּיא (great), וְלֹ֣א (and not) נֵדָ֑ע (do we know Him);

מִסְפַּ֖ר (the number) שָׁנָ֣יו (of His years) וְלֹא־ (and there is no) חֵֽקֶר׃ (searching it).

27  כִּ֭י (For) יְגָרַ֣ע (He draws up) נִטְפֵי־ (drops) מָ֑יִם (of water),

יָזֹ֖קּוּ (they distill) מָטָ֣ר (as rain) לְאֵדֽוֹ׃ (from the mist),

28  אֲשֶֽׁר־ (which) יִזְּל֥וּ (pour down) שְׁחָקִ֑ים (the clouds)

יִ֝רְעֲפ֗וּ (they drop) עֲלֵ֤י׀ (upon) אָדָ֬ם (man) רָֽב׃ (in abundance).

29  אַ֣ף (Indeed) אִם־ (if) יָ֭בִין (can one understand) מִפְרְשֵׂי־ (the spreading out) עָ֑ב (of a cloud),

תְּ֝שֻׁא֗וֹת (the noises from) סֻכָּתֽוֹ׃ (His pavilion)?

30  הֵן־ (Behold), פָּרַ֣שׂ (He scatters) עָלָ֣יו (around Him) אוֹר֑וֹ (His lightning)

וְשָׁרְשֵׁ֖י (and the depths) הַיָּ֣ם (of the sea) כִּסָּֽה׃ (he covers).

31  כִּי־ (For) בָ֭ם (by these) יָדִ֣ין (He judges) עַמִּ֑ים (the peoples);

יִֽתֶּן־ (He gives) אֹ֥כֶל (food) לְמַכְבִּֽיר׃ (in abundance).

32  עַל־ (With) כַּפַּ֥יִם (His palms) כִּסָּה־ (He covers) א֑וֹר (the lightning)

וַיְצַ֖ו (and gives a charge) עָלֶ֣יהָ (upon it) בְמַפְגִּֽיעַ׃ (for its striking).

33  יַגִּ֣יד (He declares) עָלָ֣יו (concerning it) רֵע֑וֹ (by its shouting);

מִ֝קְנֶ֗ה (the cattle) אַ֣ף (also) עַל־ (concerning) עוֹלֶֽה׃ (the arising).