1Elihu continued:
2“Bear with me a little longer and I will show you
that there is more to be said in 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 forever.
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 harbor 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 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 distill as rain to the streams36:27 Or distill 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以利戶又說：
2「再給我片刻，容我講明，
我還有話替上帝說。
3我要旁徵博引，
證明我的創造主公義。
4我的話絕非虛言，
知識全備者在你身旁。
5「上帝有大能，但不藐視人，
祂無所不知。
6祂不容惡人活命，
祂為窮苦人伸冤。
7祂時時看顧義人，
使他們與君王同坐寶座，
永遠受尊崇。
8他們若被鎖鏈捆綁，
被苦難的繩索纏住，
9祂就會指明他們的所作所為，
讓他們知道自己狂妄的罪愆。
10祂開啟他們的耳朵，使之受教，
督促他們離開罪惡。
11他們若聽從、事奉祂，
就可一生幸福，安享天年。
12否則，他們必死於刀下，
在無知中滅亡。
13不信上帝的人心存憤怒，
被上帝捆綁也不求救。
14他們早年喪命，
與廟中的男妓一同夭亡。
15上帝藉苦難拯救受苦的人，
藉患難開通他們的耳朵。
16祂也要引領你脫離困境，
進入廣闊自由之地，
使你享受滿桌佳餚。
17「但你飽受惡人當得的審判，
審判和懲罰臨到了你。
18當心，不可因憤怒而嘲罵，
不可因贖金大就偏離正道。
19難道你呼求、使出渾身力氣，
就能脫離困境嗎？
20不要渴望黑夜來臨，
那時眾民在家中消亡。
21當心，不可轉向罪惡，
因你喜歡罪惡勝於苦難。
22看啊，上帝的能力無以倫比。
誰能像祂那樣賜人教誨？
23誰能為祂指定道路？
誰能說祂行事不義？
24人們都歌唱祂的作為，
你也要記得頌揚。
25祂的作為，天下人都已看見，
世人從遠處目睹。
26我們無法明白上帝的偉大，
祂的年歲無法數算。
27祂吸取水滴，
使之在雲霧中化為雨，
28從雲端沛然降下，
滋潤人間。
29誰能明白雲層的鋪展，
及祂幔幕發出的雷聲？
30祂在四圍鋪展閃電，
覆蓋大海的深處。
31祂藉此治理萬民，
賜下豐富的食物。
32祂手握閃電，
令它射向目標。
33雷聲顯明祂的作為，
就連牲畜也能察覺。
