Elihu Shows God's Justice and Power

1And Elihu proceeded and said,

2Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet words for +God.

3I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Creator.

4For truly my words shall be no falsehood: one perfect in knowledge is with thee.

5Lo, God is mighty, but despiseth not [any]; mighty in strength of understanding:

6He saveth not the wicked alive; but he doeth justice to the afflicted.

7He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne doth he even set them for ever; and they are exalted.

8And if, bound in fetters, they be held in cords of affliction,

9Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions, because they have increased.

10And he openeth their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.

11If they hearken and serve [him], they shall accomplish their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

12But if they hearken not, they shall pass away by the sword, and expire without knowledge.

13But the godless in heart heap up anger; they cry not when he bindeth them:

14Their soul dieth in youth, and their life is among the unclean.

15But he delivereth the afflicted in his affliction, and openeth their ear in [their] oppression.

16Even so would he have allured thee out of the jaws of distress into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and the supply of thy table [would be] full of fatness.

17But thou art full of the judgments of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold [on thee].

18Because there is wrath, [beware] lest it take thee away through chastisement: then a great ransom could not avail thee.

19Will he esteem thy riches? Not gold, nor all the resources of strength!

20Desire not the night, when peoples are cut off from their place.

21Take heed, turn not to iniquity; for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.

22Lo, God is exalted in his power: who teacheth as he?

23Who hath appointed him his way? or who hath said, Thou hast wrought unrighteousness?

24Remember that thou magnify his work, which men celebrate.

25All men look at it; man beholdeth [it] afar off.

26Lo, God is great, and we comprehend [him] not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.

27For he draweth up the drops of water: they distil in rain from the vapour which he formeth,

28Which the skies pour down [and] drop upon man abundantly.

29But can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, [or] the crashing of his pavilion?

30Lo, he spreadeth his light around him, and covereth the bottom of the sea.

31For with them he judgeth the peoples; he giveth food in abundance.

32[His] hands he covereth with lightning, and commandeth it where it is to strike.

33His thundering declareth concerning him; the cattle even, concerning its coming.