1Elihu continued:
2‘Bear with me a little longer and I will show you
that there is more to be said on God’s behalf.
3I get my knowledge from afar;
I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
4Be assured that my words are not false;
one who has perfect knowledge is with you.
5‘God is mighty, but despises no-one;
he is mighty, and firm in his purpose.
6He does not keep the wicked alive
but gives the afflicted their rights.
7He does not take his eyes off the righteous;
he enthrones them with kings
and exalts them for ever.
8But if people are bound in chains,
held fast by cords of affliction,
9he tells them what they have done –
that they have sinned arrogantly.
10He makes them listen to correction
and commands them to repent of their evil.
11If they obey and serve him,
they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity
and their years in contentment.
12But if they do not listen,
they will perish by the sword36:12 Or will cross the river
and die without knowledge.
13‘The godless in heart harbour resentment;
even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.
14They die in their youth,
among male prostitutes of the shrines.
15But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering;
he speaks to them in their affliction.
16‘He is wooing you from the jaws of distress
to a spacious place free from restriction,
to the comfort of your table laden with choice food.
17But now you are laden with the judgment due to the wicked;
judgment and justice have taken hold of you.
18Be careful that no-one entices you by riches;
do not let a large bribe turn you aside.
19Would your wealth or even all your mighty efforts
sustain you so you would not be in distress?
20Do not long for the night,
to drag people away from their homes.36:20 The meaning of the Hebrew for verses 18-20 is uncertain.
21Beware of turning to evil,
which you seem to prefer to affliction.
22‘God is exalted in his power.
Who is a teacher like him?
23Who has prescribed his ways for him,
or said to him, “You have done wrong”?
24Remember to extol his work,
which people have praised in song.
25All humanity has seen it;
mortals gaze on it from afar.
26How great is God – beyond our understanding!
The number of his years is past finding out.
27‘He draws up the drops of water,
which distil as rain to the streams36:27 Or distil from the mist as rain;
28the clouds pour down their moisture
and abundant showers fall on mankind.
29Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds,
how he thunders from his pavilion?
30See how he scatters his lightning about him,
bathing the depths of the sea.
31This is the way he governs36:31 Or nourishes the nations
and provides food in abundance.
32He fills his hands with lightning
and commands it to strike its mark.
33His thunder announces the coming storm;
even the cattle make known its approach.36:33 Or announces his coming – / the One zealous against evil
1以利户又说：
2“再给我片刻，容我讲明，
我还有话替上帝说。
3我要旁征博引，
证明我的创造主公义。
4我的话绝非虚言，
知识全备者在你身旁。
5“上帝有大能，但不藐视人，
祂无所不知。
6祂不容恶人活命，
祂为穷苦人申冤。
7祂时时看顾义人，
使他们与君王同坐宝座，
永远受尊崇。
8他们若被锁链捆绑，
被苦难的绳索缠住，
9祂就会指明他们的所作所为，
让他们知道自己狂妄的罪愆。
10祂开启他们的耳朵，使之受教，
督促他们离开罪恶。
11他们若听从、事奉祂，
就可一生幸福，安享天年。
12否则，他们必死于刀下，
在无知中灭亡。
13不信上帝的人心存愤怒，
被上帝捆绑也不求救。
14他们盛年丧命，
与庙中的男妓一同夭亡。
15上帝借苦难拯救受苦的人，
借患难开通他们的耳朵。
16祂也要引领你脱离困境，
进入广阔自由之地，
使你享受满桌佳肴。
17“但恶人应受的审判落在你身上，
你难逃审判和惩罚。
18当心，不可因愤怒而嘲骂，
不可因赎金大就偏离正道。
19难道你呼求、使出浑身力气，
就能脱离困境吗？
20不要渴望黑夜来临——
就是众民被毁灭的时候。
21当心，不可转向罪恶，
因你喜欢罪恶胜于苦难。
22看啊，上帝的能力无以伦比。
谁能像祂那样赐人教诲？
23谁能为祂指定道路？
谁能说祂行事不义？
24人们都歌唱祂的作为，
你也要记得颂扬。
25祂的作为，万民都已看见，
世人从远处目睹。
26我们无法明白上帝的伟大，
祂的年岁无法数算。
27祂吸取水滴，
使之在云雾中化为雨，
28从云端沛然降下，
滋润人间。
29谁能明白云层的铺展，
及祂幔幕发出的雷声？
30祂在四围铺展闪电，
照亮大海的深处。
31祂借此治理万民，
赐下丰富的食物。
32祂手握闪电，
令它射向目标。
33雷声显明祂的作为，
就连牲畜也能察觉。
