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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.

"At this also my heart trembles, And leaps from its place.

-"Listen closely to the ^(C1)thunder of His voice, And the rumbling that goes out from His mouth.

-"Under the whole heaven He lets it loose, And His ^(F1)lightning travels to the ^(C1)ends of the earth.

-"After it, a voice roars; He thunders with His majestic voice, And He does not restrain ^(F1)the lightning when His voice is heard.

-"God ^(C1)thunders wondrously with His voice, Doing ^(C2)great things which we do not comprehend.

-"For to ^(C1)the snow He says, 'Fall on the earth,' And to the ^(F1)(C2)downpour and the rain, 'Be strong.'

-"He ^(C1)seals the hand of every person, So that ^(C2)all people may know His work.

-"Then the animal goes into its ^(C1)lair And remains in its ^(F1)den.

-"From the ^(F1)(C1)south comes the storm, And from the north wind the cold.

-"From the breath of God ^(C1)ice is made, And the expanse of the waters is frozen.

-"He also ^(C1)loads the clouds with moisture; He ^(C2)disperses ^(C3)the cloud of His ^(F1)lightning.

-"It changes direction, turning around by His guidance, That ^(F1)it may do whatever He ^(C1)commands ^(F2)it On the ^(C2)face of the inhabited earth.

-"Whether for ^(F1)(C1)correction, or for ^(C2)His earth, Or for ^(C3)goodness, He causes it to ^(F2)happen.

"Listen to this, Job; Stand and consider the wonders of God.

-"Do you know how God establishes them, And makes the ^(F1)lightning of His clouds to shine?

-"Do you know about the hovering of the clouds, The ^(C1)wonders of One who is ^(C2)perfect in knowledge,

You whose garments are hot When the land is still because of the south wind?

-"Can you, with Him, ^(C1)spread out the skies, Strong as a cast metal mirror?

-"Teach us what we are to say to Him; We ^(C1)cannot present our case because of darkness.

-"Shall it be told Him that I would speak? ^(F1)Or should a man say that he would be swallowed up?

"Now people do not see the light which is bright in the skies; But the wind has passed and cleared them.

-"From the north comes golden splendor; Around God is awesome majesty.

-"The Almighty—^(C1)we cannot find Him; He is ^(C2)exalted in power And ^(C3)He will not violate ^(C4)justice and abundant righteousness.

-"Therefore people ^(C1)fear Him; He does not ^(C2)regard any who are wise of heart."