Job 35

1 Elihu spoke moreover, and said,

Moreover Elihu continued, saying,

2 Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God’s?

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

3 For thou saidst, What advantage will it be to thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?

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

4 I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.

I will answer you, both you and your friends.

5 Look to the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.

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

6 If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions are multiplied, what doest thou to him?

If you have sinned, what harm do you do to God? If your transgressions pile up high, what do you do to him?

7 If thou art righteous, what givest thou to him? or what receiveth he from thy hand?

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

8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.

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

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

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

10 But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;

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

11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?

who teaches us more than he teaches the beasts of the earth, and who makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?'

12 There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.

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

13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

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

14 Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.

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!

15 But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:

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

16 Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.

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