Job 35

1 Moreover Elihu, responded and said: —

And Elihu went on to say:

2 This, dost thou think to be right? 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 dost say, How can one profit by thee? How can I benefit, more than by my sin?

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

4 I, will answer thee plainly, and thy friends with thee.

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

5 Look at the heavens and see, —and survey the skies—they are higher than thou.

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

6 If thou sinnest, what canst thou work against him? Or, 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 art righteous, what canst thou give unto him? Or what, at thy hand, can he accept?

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

8 Unto a man like thyself, might thy lawlessness [reach], and, unto a son of the earth-born, 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, [men] make outcry, They cry for help, by reason of the arm of the mighty;

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

10 But none saith—Where is GOD my maker, Who giveth songs 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, beyond the bird of the heavens, giveth us wisdom?

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

12 There, [men] make outcry, and he answereth not, because of the arrogance of evil-doers.

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

13 Howbeit, vanity, will GOD not hear, Yea, the Almighty, will not regard it.

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

14 How much less when thou sayest thou wilt not regard him! The cause, is before him, and thou must 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 it is not so, [thou sayest] —His anger hath punished, and yet hath he not at all known of transgression;

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

16 Thus, Job, vainly openeth his mouth, Without knowledge, he multiplieth words.

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