Elihu Describes God’s Power
כַּתַּר־לִ֣י זְ֭עֵיר וַאֲחַוֶּ֑ךָּ כִּ֤י ע֖וֹד לֶאֱל֣וֹהַּ מִלִּֽים׃
“Bear with me a little longer, and I will show you that there is more to be said on God’s behalf.
אֶשָּׂ֣א דֵ֭עִי לְמֵרָח֑וֹק וּ֝לְפֹעֲלִ֗י אֶֽתֵּֽן־צֶֽדֶק׃
I get my knowledge from afar, and I will ascribe justice to my Maker.
כִּֽי־אָ֭מְנָם לֹא־שֶׁ֣קֶר מִלָּ֑י תְּמִ֖ים דֵּע֣וֹת עִמָּֽךְ׃
For truly my words are free of falsehood; one perfect in knowledge is with you.
הֶן־אֵ֣ל כַּ֭בִּיר וְלֹ֣א יִמְאָ֑ס כַּ֝בִּ֗יר כֹּ֣חַֽ לֵֽב׃
Indeed, God is mighty, but He despises no one; He is mighty in strength of understanding.
לֹא־יְחַיֶּ֥ה רָשָׁ֑ע וּמִשְׁפַּ֖ט עֲנִיִּ֣ים יִתֵּֽן׃
He does not keep the wicked alive, but He grants justice to the afflicted.
לֹֽא־יִגְרַ֥ע מִצַּדִּ֗יק עֵ֫ינָ֥יו וְאֶת־מְלָכִ֥ים לַכִּסֵּ֑א וַיֹּשִׁיבֵ֥ם לָ֝נֶ֗צַח וַיִּגְבָּֽהוּ׃
He does not take His eyes off the righteous, but He enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever.
וְאִם־אֲסוּרִ֥ים בַּזִּקִּ֑ים יִ֝לָּכְד֗וּן בְּחַבְלֵי־עֹֽנִי׃
And if men are bound with chains, caught in cords of affliction,
וַיַּגֵּ֣ד לָהֶ֣ם פָּעֳלָ֑ם וּ֝פִשְׁעֵיהֶ֗ם כִּ֣י יִתְגַּבָּֽרוּ׃
then He tells them their deeds and how arrogantly they have transgressed.
וַיִּ֣גֶל אָ֭זְנָם לַמּוּסָ֑ר וַ֝יֹּ֗אמֶר כִּֽי־יְשֻׁב֥וּן מֵאָֽוֶן׃
He opens their ears to correction and commands that they turn from iniquity.
אִֽם־יִשְׁמְע֗וּ וְֽיַ֫עֲבֹ֥דוּ יְכַלּ֣וּ יְמֵיהֶ֣ם בַּטּ֑וֹב וּ֝שְׁנֵיהֶ֗ם בַּנְּעִימִֽים׃
If they obey and serve Him, then they end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness.
וְאִם־לֹ֣א יִ֭שְׁמְעוּ בְּשֶׁ֣לַח יַעֲבֹ֑רוּ וְ֝יִגְוְע֗וּ כִּבְלִי־דָֽעַת׃
But if they do not obey, then they perish by the sword and die without knowledge.
וְֽחַנְפֵי־לֵ֭ב יָשִׂ֣ימוּ אָ֑ף לֹ֥א יְ֝שַׁוְּע֗וּ כִּ֣י אֲסָרָֽם׃
The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when He binds them, they do not cry for help.
תָּמֹ֣ת בַּנֹּ֣עַר נַפְשָׁ֑ם וְ֝חַיָּתָ֗ם בַּקְּדֵשִֽׁים׃
They die in their youth, among the male shrine prostitutes.
יְחַלֵּ֣ץ עָנִ֣י בְעָנְי֑וֹ וְיִ֖גֶל בַּלַּ֣חַץ אָזְנָֽם׃
God rescues the afflicted by their affliction and opens their ears in oppression.
וְאַ֤ף הֲסִיתְךָ֨׀ מִפִּי־צָ֗ר רַ֭חַב לֹא־מוּצָ֣ק תַּחְתֶּ֑יהָ וְנַ֥חַת שֻׁ֝לְחָנְךָ֗ מָ֣לֵא דָֽשֶׁן׃
Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and broad place, to a table full of richness.
וְדִין־רָשָׁ֥ע מָלֵ֑אתָ דִּ֖ין וּמִשְׁפָּ֣ט יִתְמֹֽכוּ׃
But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have seized you.
כִּֽי־חֵ֭מָה פֶּן־יְסִֽיתְךָ֣ בְסָ֑פֶק וְרָב־כֹּ֝֗פֶר אַל־יַטֶּֽךָּ׃
Be careful that no one lures you with riches; do not let a large bribe lead you astray.
הֲיַעֲרֹ֣ךְ שׁ֭וּעֲךָ לֹ֣א בְצָ֑ר וְ֝כֹ֗ל מַאֲמַצֵּי־כֹֽחַ׃
Can your wealth or all your mighty effort keep you from distress?
אַל־תִּשְׁאַ֥ף הַלָּ֑יְלָה לַעֲל֖וֹת עַמִּ֣ים תַּחְתָּֽם׃
Do not long for the night, when people vanish from their homes.
הִ֭שָּׁמֶר אַל־תֵּ֣פֶן אֶל־אָ֑וֶן כִּֽי־עַל־זֶ֝֗ה בָּחַ֥רְתָּ מֵעֹֽנִי׃
Be careful not to turn to iniquity, for this you have preferred to affliction.
הֶן־אֵ֭ל יַשְׂגִּ֣יב בְּכֹח֑וֹ מִ֖י כָמֹ֣הוּ מוֹרֶֽה׃
Behold, God is exalted in His power. Who is a teacher like Him?
מִֽי־פָקַ֣ד עָלָ֣יו דַּרְכּ֑וֹ וּמִֽי־אָ֝מַ֗ר פָּעַ֥לְתָּ עַוְלָֽה׃
Who has appointed His way for Him, or told Him, ‘You have done wrong’?
זְ֭כֹר כִּֽי־תַשְׂגִּ֣יא פָעֳל֑וֹ אֲשֶׁ֖ר שֹׁרְר֣וּ אֲנָשִֽׁים׃
Remember to magnify His work, which men have praised in song.
כָּל־אָדָ֥ם חָֽזוּ־ב֑וֹ אֱ֝נ֗וֹשׁ יַבִּ֥יט מֵרָחֽוֹק׃
All mankind has seen it; men behold it from afar.
הֶן־אֵ֣ל שַׂ֭גִּיא וְלֹ֣א נֵדָ֑ע מִסְפַּ֖ר שָׁנָ֣יו וְלֹא־חֵֽקֶר׃
Indeed, God is great—beyond our knowledge; the number of His years is unsearchable.
כִּ֭י יְגָרַ֣ע נִטְפֵי־מָ֑יִם יָזֹ֖קּוּ מָטָ֣ר לְאֵדֽוֹ׃
For He draws up drops of water which distill the rain from the mist,
אֲשֶֽׁר־יִזְּל֥וּ שְׁחָקִ֑ים יִ֝רְעֲפ֗וּ עֲלֵ֤י׀ אָדָ֬ם רָֽב׃
which the clouds pour out and shower abundantly on mankind.
אַ֣ף אִם־יָ֭בִין מִפְרְשֵׂי־עָ֑ב תְּ֝שֻׁא֗וֹת סֻכָּתֽוֹ׃
Furthermore, who can understand how the clouds spread out, how the thunder roars from His pavilion?
הֵן־פָּרַ֣שׂ עָלָ֣יו אוֹר֑וֹ וְשָׁרְשֵׁ֖י הַיָּ֣ם כִּסָּֽה׃
See how He scatters His lightning around Him and covers the depths of the sea.
כִּי־בָ֭ם יָדִ֣ין עַמִּ֑ים יִֽתֶּן־אֹ֥כֶל לְמַכְבִּֽיר׃
For by these He judges the nations and provides food in abundance.
עַל־כַּפַּ֥יִם כִּסָּה־א֑וֹר וַיְצַ֖ו עָלֶ֣יהָ בְמַפְגִּֽיעַ׃
He fills His hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.