New King James Version

English Standard Version

1Elihu also proceeded and said:

1And Elihu continued, and said:

2“Bear with me a little, and I will show you That there are yet words to speak 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 fetch my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

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

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

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

5“Behold, God is mighty, but despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding.

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

6He does not preserve the life of the wicked, But gives justice to the oppressed.

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

7He does not withdraw His eyes from the righteous; But they are on the throne with kings, For He has seated them forever, 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.

8And if they are bound in fetters, Held in the cords of affliction,

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

9Then He tells them their work and their transgressions— That they have acted defiantly.

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

10He also opens their ear to instruction, And commands that they turn from iniquity.

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

11If they obey and serve Him, They shall spend their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures.

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

12But if they do not obey, They shall perish by the sword, And they shall die without knowledge.

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

13“But the hypocrites in heart store up wrath; They do not cry for help when He binds them.

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

14They die in youth, And their life ends among the perverted persons.

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

15He delivers the poor in their affliction, And opens their ears in oppression.

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

16“Indeed He would have brought you out of dire distress, Into a broad place where there is no restraint; And what is set on your table would be full of richness.

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.

17But you are filled with the judgment due the wicked; Judgment and justice take hold of you.

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

18Because there is wrath, beware lest He take you away with one blow; For a large ransom would not help you avoid it.

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

19Will your riches, Or all the mighty forces, Keep you from distress?

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

20Do not desire the night, When people are cut off in their place.

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

21Take heed, do not turn to iniquity, For you have chosen this rather than affliction.

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

22“Behold, God is exalted by His power; Who teaches like Him?

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

23Who has assigned Him His way, Or who has said, ‘You have done wrong’?

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

24“Remember to magnify His work, Of which men have sung.

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

25Everyone has seen it; Man looks on it from afar.

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

26“Behold, God is great, and we do not know Him; Nor can the number of His years be discovered.

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

27For He draws up drops of water, Which distill as rain from the mist,

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

28Which the clouds drop down And pour abundantly on man.

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

29Indeed, can anyone understand the spreading of clouds, The thunder from His canopy?

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

30Look, He scatters His light upon it, And covers the depths of the sea.

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

31For by these He judges the peoples; 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 strike.

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

33His thunder declares it, The cattle also, concerning the rising storm.

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

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

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.