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. |
4Indeed, my words are not false; one who has complete 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 oppressed. | 6He does not let the wicked live but gives justice to the afflicted. |
7He does not withdraw 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 tells them to repent from iniquity. | 10He gets their attention and commands that they turn from evil. |
11If they listen and serve him, 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 listen, 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. |
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 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. |
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