< Job 35 >

1 Moreover Elihu answered and said,
And Elihu answers and says:
2 Thinkest thou this to be [thy] right, [or] sayest thou, 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 That thou sayest, What advantage will it be unto thee? [and], What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?
For you say, What does it profit You? What do I profit from my sin?
4 I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.
I return words, and your friends with you,
5 Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold 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 hast sinned, what doest thou against him? and if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou 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 receiveth he of thine hand?
If you have been righteous, What do you give to Him? Or what does He receive from your hand?
8 Thy wickedness [may hurt] a man as thou art; and thy righteousness [may profit] a son of man.
For a man like yourself [is] your wickedness, And for a son of man your righteousness.
9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out; they cry for help by reason 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 none saith, Where is God my Maker, who giveth songs 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 heaven?
Teaching us more than the beasts of the earth, Indeed, He makes us wiser than the bird of the heavens.
12 There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.
There they cry, and He does not answer, Because of the pride of evildoers.
13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
Surely God does not hear vanity, And the Mighty does not behold it.
14 How much less when thou sayest thou beholdest him not, the cause is before him, and thou waitest for him!
Indeed, though you say you do not behold Him, Judgment [is] before Him, and stays for Him.
15 But now, because he hath not visited in his anger, neither doth he greatly regard arrogance;
And now, because there is not, He has appointed His anger, And He has not known in great extremity.
16 Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vanity; he multiplieth words without knowledge.
And Job opens his mouth [with] vanity, He multiplies words without knowledge.”

< Job 35 >