Job 35

1 Moreover Elihu continued, saying,

And Elihu went on to say:

2 “Do you think this is just when you say, 'My right before God'?

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

3 For you ask, 'What use is it to me?' and, 'Would I be better off if I had sinned?'

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

4 I will answer you, both you and your friends.

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

5 Look up at the sky, and see it; see the sky, which is higher than you.

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

6 If you have sinned, what harm do you do to God? If your transgressions pile up high, what do you do 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 righteous, what can you give to him? What will he receive from your hand?

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

8 Your wickedness may hurt a man, as you are a man, and your righteousness might benefit another son of man.

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

9 Because of many acts of oppression, people cry out; they call for help from the arms of mighty men.

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

10 But no one says, '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 teaches us more than he teaches the beasts of the earth, and who makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?'

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

12 There they cry out, but God gives no answer because of the pride of evil men.

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

13 God will certainly not hear a foolish cry; the Almighty will pay no attention to it.

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

14 How much less will he answer you if you say that you do not see him, that your case is before him, and that 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 Now you say that his anger does not punish, and he does not take even a litte notice of transgression.

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

16 So Job opens his mouth only to speak foolishness; he piles up words without knowledge.”

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