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
Elihu Atukuza Wema Wa Mungu
1Elihu akaendelea kusema:
2“Nivumilie kidogo zaidi nami nitakuonyesha
kwamba yako mengi zaidi ya kusemwa kwa ajili ya Mungu.
336:3 Ay 4:17; 8:3Ninayapata maarifa yangu kutoka mbali,
nami nitamhesabia haki Muumba wangu.
436:4 Ay 6:28; 13:6; 37:5, 16, 23; 32:17Uwe na hakika kwamba maneno yangu si ya uongo;
mmoja aliye mkamilifu katika maarifa yuko pamoja na wewe.
536:5 Za 31:22; 69:33; Hes 23:19; Rum 11:29“Mungu ni mwenye nguvu, lakini hamdharau mwanadamu;
ni mwenye nguvu, naye ni thabiti katika shauri lake.
636:6 Ay 8:22; 4:10Hawaachi waovu waendelee kuishi,
bali huwapa walioteswa haki yao.
736:7 Za 34:15; 113:8; Mt 6:18; Isa 22:23Yeye haondoi macho yake kwa wenye haki;
huwaketisha penye viti vya enzi pamoja na wafalme
na kuwatukuza milele.
836:8 2Sam 3:34; 2Fal 23:33Lakini ikiwa watu wamefungwa kwenye minyororo,
wakiwa wameshikiliwa na kamba za mateso,
936:9 Ay 15:25huwaonyesha yale waliyoyatenda,
kwamba wametenda dhambi kwa majivuno.
1036:10 Ay 33:16; 2Fal 17:13; Ay 5:17Huwafanya wao kusikia maonyo,
na huwaagiza kutubu uovu wao.
1136:11 Kut 28:1; Hag 1:12; Isa 1; 19Kama wakitii na kumtumikia,
wataishi siku zao zilizobaki katika mafanikio,
na miaka yao katika utoshelevu.
1236:12 Law 26:38; Ay 15:22; 4:21; Efe 4:18Lakini wasiposikiliza,
wataangamia kwa upanga,
nao watakufa pasipo maarifa.
1336:13 Ay 15:12; Rum 2:5; Ay 5:2; 4:17; Amo 4:11“Wasiomcha Mungu moyoni mwao huficha chuki;
hata anapowafunga, hawamwombi msaada.
1436:14 Kum 23:17Wanakufa wangali vijana,
miongoni mwa wanaume hanithi wa mahali pa kuabudia miungu.
1536:15 Ay 5:15; 2Kor 12:10; Ay 33:16; 34:33Bali wao wanaoteseka huwaokoa katika mateso yao,
na kuzungumza nao katika dhiki zao.
1636:16 Hos 2:14; Za 23:5; 78:19“Yeye anakubembeleza utoke katika mataya ya dhiki,
ili kukuweka mahali palipo na nafasi mbali na kizuizi,
hadi kwenye meza yako ya faraja iliyojaa vyakula vizuri.
1736:17 Ay 20:29; 22:11Lakini sasa umelemewa na hukumu kwa ajili ya uovu;
hukumu na haki vimekukamata.
1836:18 Kut 23:8; Amo 5:12; Ay 34:33Uwe mwangalifu ili yeyote asikushawishi kwa utajiri;
usipotoshwe kwa fungu kubwa la rushwa.
1936:19 Za 49:6; Yer 9:23Je, utajiri wako hata nguvu zako nyingi
vinaweza kukusaidia usiingie kwenye dhiki?
2036:20 Ay 34:20-25Usiutamani usiku uje,
ili uwaburute watu mbali na nyumba zao.
2136:21 Ay 34:33; Za 66:18; Ebr 11:25Jihadhari usigeukie uovu,
ambao unaupenda zaidi kuliko mateso.
2236:22 Isa 40:13; Rum 11:34“Mungu ametukuzwa katika nguvu zake.
Ni nani aliye mwalimu kama yeye?
2336:23 Ay 34:10, 13; Rum 11:33; Mwa 18:25; Kum 32:4Ni nani aliyemwelekeza katika njia zake,
au kumwambia, ‘Wewe umetenda yasiyo sawa’?
2436:24 1Nya 16:24; Za 35:27; 59:16; Ufu 15:3Kumbuka kuzitukuza kazi zake,
ambazo watu wamezisifu katika wimbo.
2536:25 Rum 1:20Wanadamu wote wameiona;
watu wanaikazia macho kwa mbali.
2636:26 1Kor 13:12; Mwa 21:33; Ebr 1:12Tazama jinsi Mungu alivyo mkuu,
kupita ufahamu wetu!
Hesabu ya miaka yake haitafutiki.
2736:27 2Sam 1:21; Za 147:8“Yeye huvuta juu matone ya maji,
ayachujayo kama mvua kutoka kwenye vijito;
2836:28 Ay 22:11; Mt 5:45mawingu huangusha chini maji yake,
nayo mvua nyingi huwanyeshea wanadamu.
2936:29 Mit 8:28; Isa 40:22Ni nani ajuaye jinsi ayatandazavyo mawingu,
jinsi angurumavyo kutoka hemani mwake.
3036:30 Kut 19:16; Yer 10:13; Hab 3:11; Isa 51:10; Za 18:12, 14; 97:4Tazama jinsi anavyotandaza umeme wa radi kumzunguka,
naye huvifunika vilindi vya bahari.
3136:31 1Fal 17:1; Amo 4:7-8; Isa 30:23; Mdo 14:17Hivi ndivyo atawalavyo mataifa,
na kuwapa chakula kwa wingi.
3236:32 Ay 28:24; Za 18:14Huujaza mkono wake kwa umeme wa radi,
na kuuagiza kulenga shabaha yake.
33Ngurumo zake hutangaza dhoruba inayokuja;
hata mifugo hujulisha kukaribia kwake.36:33 Au: hutangaza kuja kwake.
