King James Version KJV
The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
1 Elihu also proceeded, and said,
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Elihu added:
2 Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf.
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"Bear with me a little, and I will show you that there is more to say on God's behalf.
3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
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I may search far and wide for my arguments, but I will ascribe righteousness to God my maker.
4 For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.
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For the fact is that my words are true; you have with you a man whose views are pure.
5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.
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"Look, God is powerful and despises no one, powerful in his strength of understanding.
6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.
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He does not preserve the lives of the wicked, but he gives justice to the poor.
7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.
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He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous; but when he sets kings on their throne forever, they may become proud;
8 And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;
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if, then, they are bound in chains, held in oppressive cords,
9 Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.
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he shows them the results of their doings, the crimes caused by their pride.
10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.
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He sounds a warning in their ears and orders them to repent of their evil.
11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
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"If they pay attention and obey him, they spend their days in prosperity; their years pass pleasantly.
12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.
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But if they don't pay attention, they perish by the sword and die without learning their lesson.
13 But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.
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The godless in heart cherish their anger, not crying for help when he binds them.
14 They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.
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Their soul perishes in their youth, and their life becomes depraved.
15 He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.
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"God, with his affliction, delivers the afflicted; and he gets their attention by pressing on them.
16 Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.
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Indeed [Iyov], he is drawing you away from distress to an untroubled open place, with rich food on your table.
17 But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.
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But the judgment on the wicked applies fully to you, judgment and condemnation take hold [of them].
18 Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.
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For beware of wrath when abundance entices you; don't let a big bribe turn you aside.
19 Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.
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Will your great wealth help you? or all your efforts, no matter how strong?
20 Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.
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Don't desire the night, when people suddenly die.
21 Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
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Be careful; turn away from wrongdoing; for because of this, you have been tested by affliction.
22 Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?
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"Look, God is exalted in his strength; who is a teacher like him?
23 Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?
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Who ever prescribed his course for him? Who ever said, 'What you are doing is wrong'?
24 Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.
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Remember, rather, to magnify his work, of which many have sung.
25 Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.
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Everyone has seen it, [but] humans see it [only] from a distance.
26 Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.
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Look, God is great, beyond what we can know; the number of his years is uncountable.
27 For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:
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"He makes the droplets of water, which condense into rain from his mist.
28 Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.
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The clouds pour it down upon humankind in abundance.
29 Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?
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Can anyone fathom the spreading of the clouds, or the crashes that come from his canopy?
30 Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.
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See how he scatters his lightning over it and covers the roots of the sea.
31 For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.
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By these things he judges the people and also gives food in plenty.
32 With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.
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He gathers the lightning into his hands and commands it to strike the target.
33 The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.
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Its crashing announces its presence and apprises the cattle of what is coming.