1: Here Elihu took a deep breath, but kept going:
2: "Stay with me a little longer. I'll convince you. There's still more to be said on God's side.
3: I learned all this firsthand from the Source; everything I know about justice I owe to my Maker himself.
4: Trust me, I'm giving you undiluted truth; believe me, I know these things inside and out.
5: "It's true that God is all-powerful, but he doesn't bully innocent people.
6: For the wicked, though, it's a different story--he doesn't give them the time of day, but champions the rights of their victims.
7: He never takes his eyes off the righteous; he honors them lavishly, promotes them endlessly.
8: When things go badly, when affliction and suffering descend,
9: God tells them where they've gone wrong, shows them how their pride has caused their trouble.
10: He forces them to heed his warning, tells them they must repent of their bad life.
11: If they obey and serve him, they'll have a good, long life on easy street.
12: But if they disobey, they'll be cut down in their prime and never know the first thing about life.
13: Angry people without God pile grievance upon grievance, always blaming others for their troubles.
14: Living it up in sexual excesses, virility wasted, they die young.
15: But those who learn from their suffering, God delivers from their suffering.
16: "Oh, Job, don't you see how God's wooing you from the jaws of danger? How he's drawing you into wide-open places--inviting you to feast at a table laden with blessings?
17: And here you are laden with the guilt of the wicked, obsessed with putting the blame on God!
18: Don't let your great riches mislead you; don't think you can bribe your way out of this.
19: Did you plan to buy your way out of this? Not on your life!
20: And don't think that night, when people sleep off their troubles, will bring you any relief.
21: Above all, don't make things worse with more evil--that's what's behind your suffering as it is!
22: "Do you have any idea how powerful God is? Have you ever heard of a teacher like him?
23: Has anyone ever had to tell him what to do, or correct him, saying, "You did that all wrong!'?
24: Remember, then, to praise his workmanship, which is so often celebrated in song.
25: Everybody sees it; nobody is too far away to see it.
26: "Take a long, hard look. See how great he is--infinite, greater than anything you could ever imagine or figure out!
27: "He pulls water up out of the sea, distills it, and fills up his rain-cloud cisterns.
28: Then the skies open up and pour out soaking showers on everyone.
29: Does anyone have the slightest idea how this happens? How he arranges the clouds, how he speaks in thunder?
30: Just look at that lightning, his sky-filling light show illumining the dark depths of the sea!
31: These are the symbols of his sovereignty, his generosity, his loving care.
32: He hurls arrows of light, taking sure and accurate aim.
33: The High God roars in the thunder, angry against evil.