1Elihu fortsatte:2„Vær tålmodig og lad mig fortsætte lidt endnu, for der er stadig noget, Gud ønsker, jeg skal sige.3Min Skaber er retfærdig og har altid ret. Det har jeg oplevet gang på gang.4Hvad jeg fortæller dig, er den skinbarlige sandhed, og jeg ved, hvad jeg taler om.5Gud afviser aldrig nogen, som kommer til ham. Han er almægtig og altid til at stole på.6Han lader ikke den onde være ustraffet, men hjælper de svage til at få deres ret.7Gud beskytter de retskafne og giver dem ære og magt.8Men skulle de blive ramt af ulykker og blive lagt i lidelsens lænker,9så fortæller han dem, hvad de har gjort galt, eller hvordan de har været hovmodige.10Det gør han for at retlede dem, og han siger, de skal vende sig fra det onde.11Hvis de hører efter og adlyder ham, så velsigner han dem resten af livet.12Men hvis de nægter at lytte til ham, så dør de uden at have forstået hvorfor.13Gudløse mennesker bliver bitre. Når Gud straffer dem, beder de ikke om nåde.14De dør i deres bedste alder efter at have spildt tiden i et umoralsk liv.15De hjælpeløses svaghed bliver deres redning. Deres trængsler gør dem åbne for, hvad Gud har at sige.16Gud ønsker at bringe dig ud af dine lidelser, at føre dig ud i frihed som på en vidtstrakt eng og dække dit bord med udsøgte retter.17Men nu er du optaget af, at de skyldige skal dømmes. Ja, du kan ikke tænke på andet end skyld og dom.18Lad ikke din vrede få dig til at håne Gud. Vær ydmyg, selv om det koster din stolthed.[1] (Job 6,23)19Har du magt til at frelse dig selv? Mon din råben er nok til at redde dig?20Lad være at længes efter dødens mørke, tænk ikke på at blive rykket bort.21Pas på ikke at blive opslugt af din oprørskhed, som du foretrækker frem for at bære din lidelse.22Husk på, at Gud er almægtig og ophøjet. Hvem andre kan hjælpe og vejlede os?23Kan et menneske bestemme, hvad Gud skal gøre? Hvem tør sige, at Gud er uretfærdig?24Lovpris ham hellere for hans skaberværk, som mange har gjort med sang.25Alle mennesker har set hans storhed, selv om det kun er på afstand.26Gud er større, end vi kan begribe, hans eksistens kan ikke måles i år.27Han får vandet til at fordampe og omdanner dampen til regn,28der falder ned i byger fra skyerne og gavner menneskene på jorden.29Hvem kan fatte, hvordan skyerne spredes, og forstå, hvordan tordenen buldrer og brager?30Se, han sender lyn i alle retninger og dækker havbunden med vand.31Med lynene dømmer han folkene, og med regnen giver han dem mad i mængde.32Han holder lynene i sine hænder og befaler dem at ramme plet.33Tordenen melder hans komme, selv kvæget kan mærke, når han er på vej.
1And Elihu continued, and said:2“Bear with me a little, and I will show you, for I have yet something to say on God’s behalf.3I will get my knowledge from afar and ascribe righteousness to my Maker. (Job 35,10; Salm 78,2; Åb 15,3; Åb 16,5; Åb 16,7; Åb 19,1)4For truly my words are not false; one who is perfect in knowledge is with you. (Job 37,16)5“Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any; he is mighty in strength of understanding. (Job 8,20; Job 9,4; Job 12,13; Job 12,16; Salm 138,6)6He does not keep the wicked alive, but gives the afflicted their right. (Job 34,28; Job 36,15)7He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous, but with kings on the throne he sets them forever, and they are exalted. (Salm 33,18; Salm 34,15; Salm 75,10; Salm 113,8; Salm 132,12)8And if they are bound in chains and caught in the cords of affliction, (Job 36,13; Salm 107,10)9then he declares to them their work and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly. (Job 15,25)10He opens their ears to instruction and commands that they return from iniquity. (Job 33,16; Jer 18,11)11If they listen and serve him, they complete their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasantness. (Job 21,13; Es 1,19)12But if they do not listen, they perish by the sword and die without knowledge. (Job 4,21; Job 33,18; Job 35,16)13“The godless in heart cherish anger; they do not cry for help when he binds them. (Job 15,34; Job 36,8)14They die in youth, and their life ends among the cult prostitutes. (Job 15,32; Job 22,16; Salm 55,23)15He delivers the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ear by adversity. (Job 33,15; Job 36,6; Job 36,10; Salm 119,67; Salm 119,71)16He also allured you out of distress into a broad place where there was no cramping, and what was set on your table was full of fatness. (Job 37,10; Salm 4,1; Salm 18,19; Salm 23,5; Salm 31,8; Salm 36,8; Salm 118,5)17“But you are full of the judgment on the wicked; judgment and justice seize you.18Beware lest wrath entice you into scoffing, and let not the greatness of the ransom turn you aside. (Job 33,24)19Will your cry for help avail to keep you from distress, or all the force of your strength? (Ord 11,4)20Do not long for the night, when peoples vanish in their place. (Job 27,20; Job 34,20; Job 34,25; Job 40,12)21Take care; do not turn to iniquity, for this you have chosen rather than affliction. (Salm 66,18)22Behold, God is exalted in his power; who is a teacher like him? (Job 34,32; Job 35,11)23Who has prescribed for him his way, or who can say, ‘You have done wrong’? (Job 34,10; Job 34,13; Es 40,13; Rom 11,34; 1.Kor 2,16)24“Remember to extol his work, of which men have sung. (Job 33,27; Salm 92,5; Salm 104,33; Luk 1,46; Åb 15,3)25All mankind has looked on it; man beholds it from afar.26Behold, God is great, and we know him not; the number of his years is unsearchable. (Job 37,5; Salm 90,2; Salm 102,27; 1.Kor 13,12)27For he draws up the drops of water; they distill his mist in rain, (1.Mos 2,6; Salm 147,8)28which the skies pour down and drop on mankind abundantly. (5.Mos 33,28; Ord 3,20)29Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds, the thunderings of his pavilion? (Job 26,9; Salm 18,11; Salm 105,39)30Behold, he scatters his lightning about him and covers the roots of the sea.31For by these he judges peoples; he gives food in abundance. (Job 37,13; Salm 104,27; Salm 136,25; Salm 145,15; Salm 147,9; Ap G 14,17)32He covers his hands with the lightning and commands it to strike the mark. (Hab 3,4)33Its crashing declares his presence;[1] the cattle also declare that he rises.