Job 35

1 After this, Eliu again spoke in this way:

Then commenced Elihu, and said,

2 Does it seem right to you in your thoughts, that you should say, “I am more just than God?”

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

3 For you said, “Having done what is right does not please you,” and, “How will it benefit you, if I sin?”

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

4 And so, I will respond to your words, and to your friends who are with you.

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

5 Look up towards heaven and consider; also, think about the sky, which is higher than you.

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

6 If you sin, how will it hurt him? And if your iniquities are multiplied, what will you do against him?

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

7 Furthermore, if you act justly, what will you give him, or what will he receive from your hand?

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

8 Your impiety may hurt a man who is like you, though your justice may help the son of the man.

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

9 Because of the multitude of false accusers, they will cry out; and they will lament because of the strong arm of the tyrants.

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

10 Yet he has not said: “Where is God, who made me, who has given 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 in addition to the beasts of the earth, and who educates us along with the birds of the air?”

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

12 There they will cry, and he will not heed them, because of the arrogance of the wicked.

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

13 Therefore, God does not hear in vain, and the Almighty will look into each and every case.

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

14 And so, when you say, “He does not examine,” be judged before him, but wait for him.

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

15 For, at the present time, he does not bring forth his fury, nor does he punish sin exceedingly.

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

16 Therefore, Job has opened his mouth in vain and has multiplied words without knowledge.

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