Job 35

1 And Elihu made answer and said,

And Elihu went on to say:

2 Does it seem to you to be right, and righteousness before God, to say,

“Do you think this is just? You say, ‘I am more righteous than God.’

3 What profit is it to me, and how am I better off than if I had done wrong?

For you ask, ‘What does it profit me, and what benefit do I gain apart from sin?’

4 I will make answer to you and to your friends:

I will reply to you and to your friends as well.

5 Let your eyes be turned to the heavens, and lifted up to see the skies; they are higher than you.

Look to the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds high above you.

6 If you have done wrong, is he any the worse for it? and if your sins are great in number, what is it to him?

If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him? If you multiply your transgressions, what do you do to Him?

7 If you are upright, what do you give to him? or what does he take from your hand?

If you are righteous, what do you give Him, or what does He receive from your hand?

8 Your evil-doing may have an effect on a man like yourself, or your righteousness on a son of man.

Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself, and your righteousness only a son of man.

9 Because the hand of the cruel is hard on them, men are making sounds of grief; they are crying out for help because of the arm of the strong.

Men cry out under great oppression; they plead for relief from the arm of the mighty.

10 But no one has said, Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night;

But no one asks, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives us songs in the night,

11 Who gives us more knowledge than the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the heaven?

who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?’

12 There they are crying out because of the pride of the evil-doers, but he gives them no answer.

There they cry out, but He does not answer, because of the pride of evil men.

13 But God will not give ear to what is false, or the Ruler of all take note of it;

Surely God does not listen to empty pleas, and the Almighty does not take note of it.

14 How much less when you say that you do not see him; that the cause is before him, and you are waiting for him.

How much less, then, when you say that you do not see Him, that your case is before Him and you must wait for Him,

15 And now ...;

and further, that in His anger He has not punished or taken much notice of folly!

16 And Job's mouth is open wide to give out what is of no profit, increasing words without knowledge.

So Job opens his mouth in vain and multiplies words without knowledge.”