Job 35

1 Then commenced Elihu, and said,

And Elihu answers and says:

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

“Have you reckoned this for judgment [when] you have said, My righteousness [is] more than God’s?

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

For you say, What does it profit You? What do I profit from my sin?

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

I return words, and your friends with you,

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

Behold attentively the heavens—and see, And behold the clouds, They have been higher than 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 have sinned, what do you do against Him? And your transgressions have been multiplied, 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 have been righteous, What do you give to 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.

For a man like yourself [is] your wickedness, And for a son of man your righteousness.

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

Because of the multitude of oppressions They cause to cry out, They cry because of the arm of the mighty.

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

And none said, Where [is] God my Maker? Giving 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?

Teaching us more than the beasts of the earth, Indeed, He makes us wiser than the bird of the heavens.

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

There they cry, and He does not answer, Because of the pride of evildoers.

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

Surely God does not hear vanity, And the Mighty does not behold it.

14 Although thou sayest, thou canst not see him: yet the decision is before him; and do thou wait for him.

Indeed, though you say you do not behold Him, Judgment [is] before Him, and stays for Him.

15 But now, because his anger hath punished nothing, shall he not greatly take cognizance of the multitude of sins?

And now, because there is not, He has appointed His anger, And He has not known in great extremity.

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

And Job opens his mouth [with] vanity, He multiplies words without knowledge.”