Job 35

1 Moreover Elihu continued, saying,

And Elihu answers and says:

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

“Have you reckoned this for judgment [when] you have 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 say, What does it profit You? What do I profit from my sin?

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

I return words, and your friends with you,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Surely God does not hear vanity, And the Mighty does not behold 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!

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

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

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

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

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