Job

¹ Here Elihu took a deep breath, but kept going:

² There's still more to be said on God's side.

³ everything I know about justice I owe to my Maker himself.

⁴ believe me, I know these things inside and out.

⁵ but he doesn't bully innocent people.

⁶ he doesn't give them the time of day, but champions the rights of their victims.

⁷ he honors them lavishly, promotes them endlessly.

⁸ when affliction and suffering descend,

⁹ shows them how their pride has caused their trouble.

¹⁰ tells them they must repent of their bad life.

¹¹ they'll have a good, long life on easy street.

¹² and never know the first thing about life.

¹³ always blaming others for their troubles.

¹⁴ virility wasted, they die young.

¹⁵ God delivers from their suffering.

¹⁶ 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 obsessed with putting the blame on God!

¹⁸ don't think you can bribe your way out of this.

¹⁹ Not on your life!

²⁰ when people sleep off their troubles, will bring you any relief.

²¹ that's what's behind your suffering as it is!

²² Have you ever heard of a teacher like him?

²³ or correct him, saying, 'You did that all wrong!'?

²⁴ which is so often celebrated in song.

²⁵ nobody is too far away to see it.

²⁶ greater than anything you could ever imagine or figure out!

²⁷ distills it, and fills up his rain-cloud cisterns.

²⁸ and pour out soaking showers on everyone.

²⁹ How he arranges the clouds, how he speaks in thunder?

³⁰ illumining the dark depths of the sea!

³¹ his generosity, his loving care.

³² taking sure and accurate aim.

³³ angry against evil.