< Job 35 >

1 Moreover Elihu, responded and said: —
Moreover Elihu answered and said,
2 This, dost thou think to be right? Thou hast said—My righteousness is more than GOD’S.
Thinkest thou this to be [thy] right, [or] sayest thou, My righteousness is more than God’s,
3 For thou dost say, How can one profit by thee? How can I benefit, more than by my sin?
That thou sayest, What advantage will it be unto thee? [and], What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?
4 I, will answer thee plainly, and thy friends with thee.
I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.
5 Look at the heavens and see, —and survey the skies—they are higher than thou.
Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the skies, which are higher than thou.
6 If thou sinnest, what canst thou work against him? Or, if thy transgressions be multiplied, what canst thou do unto him?
If thou hast sinned, what doest thou against him? and if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him.
7 If thou art righteous, what canst thou give unto him? Or what, at thy hand, can he accept?
If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?
8 Unto a man like thyself, might thy lawlessness [reach], and, unto a son of the earth-born, thy righteousness.
Thy wickedness [may hurt] a man as thou art; and thy righteousness [may profit] a son of man.
9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions, [men] make outcry, They cry for help, by reason of the arm of the mighty;
By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out; they cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.
10 But none saith—Where is GOD my maker, Who giveth songs in the night;
But none saith, Where is God my Maker, who giveth songs in the night;
11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and, beyond the bird of the heavens, giveth us wisdom?
Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?
12 There, [men] make outcry, and he answereth not, because of the arrogance of evil-doers.
There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.
13 Howbeit, vanity, will GOD not hear, Yea, the Almighty, will not regard it.
Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
14 How much less when thou sayest thou wilt not regard him! The cause, is before him, and thou must wait for him.
How much less when thou sayest thou beholdest him not, the cause is before him, and thou waitest for him!
15 But, now, because it is not so, [thou sayest] —His anger hath punished, and yet hath he not at all known of transgression;
But now, because he hath not visited in his anger, neither doth he greatly regard arrogance;
16 Thus, Job, vainly openeth his mouth, Without knowledge, he multiplieth words.
Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vanity; he multiplieth words without knowledge.

< Job 35 >