Job 35

1 And Elius resumed and said,

And Elihu made answer and said,

2 What is this that you think to be according to right? who are you that you have said, I am righteous before the Lord?

Does it seem to you to be right, and righteousness before God, to say,

3 I will answer you, and your three friends.

What profit is it to me, and how am I better off than if I had done wrong?

4 Look up to the sky and see; and consider the clouds, how high [they are] above you.

I will make answer to you and to your friends:

5 If you have sinned, what will you do?

Let your eyes be turned to the heavens, and lifted up to see the skies; they are higher than you.

6 and if too you have transgressed much, what can you perform?

If you have done wrong, is he any the worse for it? and if your sins are great in number, what is it to him?

7 And suppose you are righteous, what will you give him? or what shall he receive of your hand?

If you are upright, what do you give to him? or what does he take from your hand?

8 Your ungodliness [may affect] a man who is like to you; or your righteousness a son of man.

Your evil-doing may have an effect on a man like yourself, or your righteousness on a son of man.

9 They that are oppressed of a multitude will be ready to cry out; they will call for help because of the arm of many.

Because the hand of the cruel is hard on them, men are making sounds of grief; they are crying out for help because of the arm of the strong.

10 But none said, Where is God that made me, who appoints the night-watches;

But no one has said, Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night;

11 who makes me to differ from the four-footed beasts of the earth, and from the birds of the sky?

Who gives us more knowledge than the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the heaven?

12 There they shall cry, and none shall listen, even because of the insolence of wicked men.

There they are crying out because of the pride of the evil-doers, but he gives them no answer.

13 For the Lord desires not to look on error, for he is the Almighty One.

But God will not give ear to what is false, or the Ruler of all take note of it;

14 He beholds them that perform lawless deeds, and he will save me: and do you plead before him, if you can praise him, as it is [possible] even now.

How much less when you say that you do not see him; that the cause is before him, and you are waiting for him.

15 For he is not [now] regarding his wrath, nor has he noticed severely any trespass.

And now ...;

16 Yet Job vainly opens his mouth, in ignorance he multiplies words.

And Job's mouth is open wide to give out what is of no profit, increasing words without knowledge.