Job 35

1 Moreover Elihu continued, saying,

Elihu spoke moreover, and said,

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

Think you this to be right, that you said, My righteousness is more than God’s?

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

For you said, What advantage will it be to you? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?

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

I will answer you, and your companions with you.

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

Look to the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than 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 against him? or if your transgressions be multiplied, what do you to him?

7 If you are righteous, what can you give to him? What will he receive from your hand?

If you be righteous, what give you him? or what receives he of 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 may hurt a man as you are; and your righteousness may profit the son of man.

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

By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.

10 But no one says, 'Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night,

But none says, Where is God my maker, who gives 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 fowls of heaven?

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

There they cry, but none gives 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 will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard 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!

Although you say you shall not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust you in him.

15 Now you say that his anger does not punish, and he does not take even a litte notice of transgression.

But now, because it is not so, he has visited in his anger; yet he knows it not in great extremity:

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

Therefore does Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplies words without knowledge.