Job 35

1 Then commenced Elihu, and said,

And Elihu went on to say:

2 Dost thou deem this to be just, that thou hast said, “My righteousness is more than God's?”

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

3 For thou sayest, “What benefit will it be unto thee? what more profit shall I have, than if I had sinned?”

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

4 I will truly reply unto thee with words, and unto thy friends with thee.

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

5 Look unto the heavens, and see; and gaze on the skies which are higher than thou.

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

6 If thou sin, what dost thou effect against him? and if thy transgressions be multiplied, what canst thou do unto him?

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

7 If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what doth he accept out of thy hand?

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

8 A man like thyself thy wickedness may reach, and a son of earth thy righteousness.

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

9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions [the wicked] cause men to cry: these complain aloud because of the arm of the mighty.

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

10 But [man] saith not, Where is God my maker, who bestoweth joyful songs even in the night;

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

11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of the heavens?

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

12 There do they cry, but he answereth not: because of the pride of evil men.

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

13 Only what is false will God not hear, nor will the Almighty regard it.

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

14 Although thou sayest, thou canst not see him: yet the decision is before him; and do thou wait 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 But now, because his anger hath punished nothing, shall he not greatly take cognizance of the multitude of sins?

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

16 But Job openeth wide his mouth for nought: without knowledge he heapeth up words.

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