Job 35

1 Moreover Elihu answered,

Elihu spoke moreover, and said,

2 “Do you think this to be your right, or do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s,’

Think you this to be right, that you 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 you said, What advantage will it be unto you? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?

4 I will answer you, and your companions with you.

I will answer you, and your companions with you.

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

Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than you.

6 If you have sinned, what effect do you have against him? If your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?

If you sin, what do you against him? or if your transgressions be multiplied, what do you unto him?

7 If you are righteous, what do you give him? Or what does 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, and your righteousness may profit a son of man.

Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are; and your righteousness may profit the son of man.

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 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 the animals of the earth, and 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, but no one answers, because of the pride of evil men.

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

13 Surely God will not hear an empty cry, neither will the Almighty regard it.

Surely God will not hear vanity, neither 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 you say you shall not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust you in him.

15 But now, because he has not visited in his anger, neither does he greatly regard arrogance,

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

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

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