Elihu also proceeded, and said,

Then Elihu continued and said:

Suffer me a little, and I will show thee; for I have yet words to speak on God’s behalf.

Bear with me yet awhile and I will speak to you, for there are yet more words in G d's behalf.

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

I will lift my voice afar, and I will speak righteousness for my Maker.

For truly my words are not false: one that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.

For, in truth, my words are not false. [(I will now begin speaking with you)] you who think yourself whole in thought.

Behold, God is mighty, and despises not any: he is mighty in strength of wisdom.

Behold, G d is great [in wisdom and in mercy], and He will not despise [the poor man]. He is great in strength of heart [(to take revenge) and]

He preserves not the life of the wicked: but gives to the poor their right.

He will not keep the wicked in life and will provide the fare of the poor.

He withdraws not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings on the throne he establishes them for ever, and they are exalted.

He will not remove His eyes from the righteous one until [he is raised] with kings to the throne; and He enthrones them and exalts them for all eternity.

And if they are bound in fetters, and are held in cords of affliction;

And if they are [sometimes] tied in chains or constricted in bonds of poverty,

then he declares to them their work, and their transgressions when they behave arrogantly.

He [thereby] tells them [of] their deeds [i.e., their sins] and of their offenses, which have intensified.

He opens also their ear to discipline, and commands that they return from iniquity.

And He [thereby] opens their ear to chastisement and tells them to repent of wrongdoing.

If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

If they listen and [resume] serving [G d], they will complete their days in goodness and their years in pleasantness.

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

And if they do not listen, they will pass [from the world] by the sword, and they will perish through their lack of understanding.

But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they do not cry when he binds them.

But those who pander to their desires will fume [(at their afflictions)] and will not cry out [to G d] when He afflicts them.

They die in youth, and their life ends in shame.

Their soul will die in their extremity and their spirit will expire with the fornicators.

He delivers the poor by means of his affliction, and opens their ears by oppression.

He rescues the afflicted one [(from Gehinnom)] by His afflictions and opens their ear — [(saying: "Return to Me")] — by [His] pressure [upon them].

He has even removed thee out of distress into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which is set on thy table is full of fatness.

And He has moved you, too, away from the narrow mouth [of Gehinnom], [and] whose bottom is broad and not constricted [(so that its smoke collect in its midst)], and what will lie upon your table [(in the world to come)] will be full of "fatness."

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

And if you have been filled with the afflictions of the wicked, affliction and judgment [(i.e., those very afflictions)] will protect you [from Gehinnom (and should be accepted with love)].

But beware of wrath, lest he take thee away with his clenched fist: nor let the greatness of the ransom turn thee aside.

For great wrath [will] befall you] if it [(your evil inclination)] entices you [to sin] through your railings [against G d].

Will thy riches avail, that are without stint, or all the forces of thy strength?

Would you set up an outcry so that no afflictions [befall you] and [so that you undergo] no exertions? [How, then, will your "account" be rendered up?]

Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.

[And] do not aspire [to different afflictions,] to the night [which came to Amrafel, Egypt, and Sancherev, in which] nations were removed [from the world, while they remained] in their place [(for they thereby went lost in this world and in the world to come)].

Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.

Take heed, do not turn to poverty [(i.e., Do not contend that not these afflictions but those of poverty should have been brought upon you)], for these are preferable to [those of] poverty.

Behold, God is exalted by his power: who teaches like him?

Behold, [because] G d is supreme in His might, who, as He does, teaches a sinner [(to repent, warning him beforehand of the afflictions he will suffer otherwise, knowing that they cannot be forestalled by man's power)]?

Who has enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?

Who [ever] appointed His way for him, and who [ever] told Him: "You have done wrong"?

Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.

Remember [His ways] and you will praise His works, which men have seen.

Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.

All men have beheld it [(what He has wrought)]; man has seen it from afar [(from creation until now)].

Behold, God is great, and we know it not, nor can the number of his years be searched out.

G d is exalted and we cannot know [His greatness], and the number of His years [is unfathomable] and cannot be probed [(wherefore, man must gain his knowledge from those who came before him)].

When he draws up small drops of water, they are distilled into a stream of rain;

When He increases [the number of] drops of water, they [(the firmaments)] pour rain into His cloud.

which the clouds do drop and pour down on man abundantly.

And sometimes the heights will drip; they will drip by virtue of a great man.

Can anyone understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?

Or, will a man understand the spreading out of a cloud, the mist of His pavilion?

Behold, he spreads his light about him, and covers the roots of the sea.

He spreads His rain upon it [(the cloud)] and covers up the roots of the sea [with it].

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

For with them [(the clouds)] He judges nations [(by withholding rain)] and [(by releasing rain)] provides food for one who abounds [(in children)].

He covers his hands with the lightning, and commands it where it shall strike.

On the clouds the rain is stopped, and He commands it [to fall] through the prayer [(of the great man of the generation)].

The noise of the storm tells of it; yea the cattle also of the rising tempest.

[Sometimes] its thunder presages it [(rain)], but the accession of anger [(of the L rd against the wicked)] surmounts it [(and it does not fall)].