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Then Elihu continued and said,

"Do you think this is in accordance with ^(C1)justice? Do you say, 'My righteousness is more than God's'?

-"For you say, '^(C1)What advantage will it be to ^(F1)You? ^(C2)What benefit will I have, more than if I had sinned?'

-"I will answer you, And your friends with you.

-"^(C1)Look at the heavens and see; And look at ^(C2)the clouds—they are higher than you.

-"If you have sinned, ^(C1)what do you accomplish against Him? And if your wrongdoings are many, what do you do to Him?

-"If you are righteous, ^(C1)what do you give to Him, Or what does He receive from your hand?

-"Your wickedness is for a man like yourself, And your righteousness is for a son of man.

"Because of the ^(C1)multitude of oppressions they cry out; They cry for help because of the arm ^(C2)of the mighty.

-"But ^(C1)no one says, 'Where is God my Maker, Who ^(C2)gives songs in the night,

Who ^(C1)teaches us more than the animals of the earth And makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?'

-"There ^(C1)they cry out, but He does not answer Because of the pride of evil people.

-"^(C1)God certainly will not listen to ^(F1)an empty cry, Nor will the Almighty regard it.

-"How much less when ^(C1)you say you do not look at Him, The ^(C2)case is before Him, and you must wait for Him!

-"And now, because He has not avenged His anger, Nor has He acknowledged ^(F1)wrongdoing well,

So Job opens his mouth with empty words; He multiplies words ^(C1)without knowledge."

Then Elihu continued and said,

"Wait for me a little, and I will show you That there ^(F1)is still more to be said on God's behalf.

-"I will bring my knowledge from afar, And ascribe ^(C1)righteousness to my Maker.

-"For truly ^(C1)my words are not false; One who is ^(C2)perfect in knowledge is with you.

-"Behold, God is mighty but does not ^(C1)reject anyone; He is ^(C2)mighty in strength of understanding.

-"He does not ^(C1)keep the wicked alive, But gives justice to ^(C2)the afflicted.

-"He does not ^(C1)withdraw His eyes from the righteous, But ^(C2)with kings on the throne He has seated them forever, and they are exalted.

-"And if they are bound in shackles, And are caught in the snares of ^(C1)misery,

Then He declares to them their work And their wrongdoings, that they have ^(C1)been arrogant.

-"^(C1)He opens their ears to instruction, And ^(C2)commands that they return from injustice.

-"If they listen and serve Him, They will ^(C1)end their days in prosperity, And their years in ^(C2)happiness.

-"But if they do not listen, they will ^(F1)perish ^(C1)by the sword, And ^(C2)die without knowledge.

-"But the godless in heart nurture anger; They do not call for help when He binds them.

-"^(F1)They die in youth, And their life perishes among the ^(C1)cult prostitutes.

-"He rescues the afflicted in ^(F1)their ^(C1)misery, And ^(C2)opens their ears in time of oppression.

-"Then indeed, He induced you away from the mouth of distress, And instead of it, a broad place with no constraint; And your table was full of ^(F1)rich food.

"But you were full of ^(C1)judgment on the wicked; Judgment and justice take hold of you.

-"Beware that ^(C1)wrath does not entice you to mockery; And do not let the greatness of the ^(C2)ransom turn you aside.

-"Will your cry for help keep you from distress, Or all the exertions of your strength?

-"Do not long for ^(C1)the night, When people ^(F1)vanish in their places.

-"Be careful, do ^(C1)not turn to evil, For you preferred this to ^(C2)misery.

-"Behold, God is exalted in His power; Who is a ^(C1)teacher like Him?

-"Who has appointed Him His way, And who has said, '^(C1)You have done wrong'?

"Remember that you are to ^(C1)exalt His work, Of which people have ^(C2)sung.

-"All people have seen it; Mankind looks at it from afar.

-"Behold, God is ^(C1)exalted, and ^(C2)we do not know Him; The ^(C3)number of His years is unsearchable.

-"For ^(C1)He draws up the drops of water; They distill rain from its ^(F1)celestial stream,

Which clouds pour down; They drip upon mankind abundantly.

-"Can anyone understand the ^(C1)spreading of the clouds, The ^(C2)thundering of His ^(F1)pavilion?

-"Behold, He spreads His ^(F1)lightning about Him, And He covers the depths of the sea.

-"For by them He ^(C1)judges peoples; He ^(C2)gives food in abundance.

-"He covers His hands with the ^(F1)lightning, And ^(C1)commands it to strike the target.

-"Its ^(C1)thundering voice declares ^(F1)His presence; The livestock also, concerning what is coming up.