Job 35

1Elihu spake moreover, and said,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Elihu Recalls God’s Justice

1And Elihu went on to say:

2“Do you think this is just?You say, ‘I am more righteous than God.’footnote a 3For you ask, ‘What does it profit me,and what benefit do I gain apart from sin?’ 4I will reply to youand to your friends as well. 5Look to the heavens and see;gaze at the clouds high above you. 6If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him?If you multiply your transgressions, what do you do to Him? 7If you are righteous, what do you give Him,or what does He receive from your hand? 8Your wickedness affects only a man like yourself,and your righteousness only a son of man.

9Men cry out under great oppression;they plead for relief from the arm of the mighty. 10But no one asks, ‘Where is God my Maker,who gives us songs in the night, 11who teaches us more than the beasts of the earthand makes us wiser than the birds of the air?’ 12There they cry out, but He does not answer,because of the pride of evil men. 13Surely God does not listen to empty pleas,and the Almighty does not take note of it. 14How much less, then, when you say that you do not see Him,that your case is before Him and you must wait for Him, 15and further, that in His anger He has not punishedor taken much notice of folly! 16So Job opens his mouth in vainand multiplies words without knowledge.”