Job 35

1 Elihu spoke moreover, and said,

Then commenced Elihu, and said,

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

Dost thou deem this to be just, that thou hast said, “My righteousness is more than God's?”

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 thou sayest, “What benefit will it be unto thee? what more profit shall I have, than if I had sinned?”

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

I will truly reply unto thee with words, and unto thy friends with thee.

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

Look unto the heavens, and see; and gaze on the skies which are higher than thou.

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

If thou sin, what dost thou effect against him? and if thy transgressions be multiplied, what canst thou do unto him?

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

If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what doth he accept out of thy hand?

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

A man like thyself thy wickedness may reach, and a son of earth thy righteousness.

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.

By reason of the multitude of oppressions [the wicked] cause men to cry: these complain aloud because of the arm of the mighty.

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

But [man] saith not, Where is God my maker, who bestoweth joyful songs even in the night;

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

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

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

There do they cry, but he answereth not: because of the pride of evil men.

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

Only what is false will God not hear, nor will the Almighty regard it.

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

Although thou sayest, thou canst not see him: yet the decision is before him; and do thou wait for him.

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

But now, because his anger hath punished nothing, shall he not greatly take cognizance of the multitude of sins?

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

But Job openeth wide his mouth for nought: without knowledge he heapeth up words.