Job 35

1 Moreover Elihu continued, saying,

And Elihu made answer and said,

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

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

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

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

4 I will answer you, both you and your friends.

I will make answer to you and to your friends:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

11 who teaches us more than he teaches the beasts of the earth, and who makes us wiser than 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 cry out, but God gives no answer because of the pride of evil men.

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

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

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

14 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!

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

And now ...;

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

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