Job 35

1 Moreover Elihu answered,

Then commenced Elihu, and said,

2 “Do you think this to be your right, or do you say, ‘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 that you ask, ‘What advantage will it be to you? What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’

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 you, and your companions with you.

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

5 Look to the skies, and see. See the skies, which are higher than you.

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

6 If you have sinned, what effect do you have against him? If your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do 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 you are righteous, what do you give him? Or what does he receive from your hand?

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

8 Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are, and your righteousness may profit a 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 cry out. They cry for help 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 no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night,

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

11 who teaches us more than the animals of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’

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 no one answers, 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 an empty cry, neither will the Almighty regard it.

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

14 How much less when you say you don’t see him. The cause is before him, and you wait for 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 he has not visited in his anger, neither does he greatly regard arrogance,

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

16 therefore Job opens his mouth with empty talk, and he multiplies words without knowledge.”

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