Job 35

1 Moreover Elihu answered,

And Elius resumed and said,

2 “Do you think this to be your right, or do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s,’

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

3 that you ask, ‘What advantage will it be to you? What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’

I will answer you, and your three friends.

4 I will answer you, and your companions with you.

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

5 Look to the skies, and see. See the skies, which are higher than you.

If you have sinned, what will you do?

6 If you have sinned, what effect do you have against him? If your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?

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

7 If you are righteous, what do you give him? Or what does he receive from your hand?

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

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

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

9 “By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out. They cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.

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

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

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

11 who teaches us more than the animals of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’

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

12 There they cry, but no one answers, because of the pride of evil men.

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

13 Surely God will not hear an empty cry, neither will the Almighty regard it.

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

14 How much less when you say you don’t see him. The cause is before him, and you wait for him!

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.

15 But now, because he has not visited in his anger, neither does he greatly regard arrogance,

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

16 therefore Job opens his mouth with empty talk, and he multiplies words without knowledge.”

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