Job 35

1 Elihu spake moreover, and said,

Moreover Elihu continued, saying,

2 Thinkest thou this to be right, [that] thou saidst, My righteousness [is] more than God’s?

“Do you think this is just when you say, 'My right before God'?

3 For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? [and], What profit shall I have, [if I be cleansed] from my sin?

For you ask, 'What use is it to me?' and, 'Would I be better off if I had sinned?'

4 I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.

I will answer you, both you and your friends.

5 Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds [which] are higher than thou.

Look up at the sky, and see it; see the sky, which is higher than you.

6 If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or [if] thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?

If you have sinned, what harm do you do to God? If your transgressions pile up high, what do you do to him?

7 If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?

If you are righteous, what can you give to him? What will he receive from your hand?

8 Thy wickedness [may hurt] a man as thou [art; ] and thy righteousness [may profit] the son of man.

Your wickedness may hurt a man, as you are a man, and your righteousness might benefit another son of man.

9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make [the oppressed] to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.

Because of many acts of oppression, people cry out; they call for help from the arms of mighty men.

10 But none saith, Where [is] God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;

But no one says, 'Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night,

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

who teaches us more than he teaches the beasts of the earth, and who makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?'

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

There they cry out, but God gives no answer because of the pride of evil men.

13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

God will certainly not hear a foolish cry; the Almighty will pay no attention to it.

14 Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, [yet] judgment [is] before him; therefore trust thou in him.

How much less will he answer you if you say that you do not see him, that your case is before him, and that you are waiting for him!

15 But now, because [it is] not [so], he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth [it] not in great extremity:

Now you say that his anger does not punish, and he does not take even a litte notice of transgression.

16 Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.

So Job opens his mouth only to speak foolishness; he piles up words without knowledge.”