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Elihu Exalts God’s Goodness

36Elihu 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.
³ I will bring my knowledge from far away,
   and ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
⁴ For truly my words are not false;
   one who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

⁵ ‘Surely God is mighty and does not despise any;
   he is mighty in strength of understanding.
⁶ He does not keep the wicked alive,
   but gives the afflicted their right.
⁷ He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous,
   but with kings on the throne
   he sets them for ever, and they are exalted.
⁸ And if they are bound in fetters
   and caught in the cords of affliction,
⁹ then he declares to them their work
   and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.
¹⁰ He opens their ears to instruction,
   and commands that they return from iniquity.
¹¹ If they listen, and serve him,
   they complete their days in prosperity,
   and their years in pleasantness.
¹² But if they do not listen, they shall perish by the sword,
   and die without knowledge.

¹³ ‘The godless in heart cherish anger;
   they do not cry for help when he binds them.
¹⁴ They die in their youth,
   and their life ends in shame.^*
15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction,
   and opens their ear by adversity.
¹⁶ He also allured you out of distress
   into a broad place where there was no constraint,
   and what was set on your table was full of fatness.