Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version

1Then Elihu continued, saying:

1And Elihu continued, and said:

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

3I will get my knowledge from a distant place and ascribe justice to my Maker.

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

4Indeed, my words are not false; one who has complete knowledge is with you.

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

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

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

6He does not keep the wicked alive, but he gives justice to the oppressed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10He opens their ears to correction and tells them to repent from iniquity.

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

11If they listen and serve him, they will end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness.

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

12But if they do not listen, they will cross the river of death and die without knowledge.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

22Look, God shows himself exalted by his power. Who is a teacher like him?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

30See how he spreads his lightning around him and covers the depths of the sea.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

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.