Job 35  Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

35 Elihu spoke further [to Job] and said,

² Do you think this is your right, or are you saying, My righteousness is more than God’s,

³ That you ask, What advantage have you? How am I profited more than if I had sinned?

⁴ I will answer you and your companions with you.

⁵ Look to the heavens and see; and behold the skies which are higher than you.

⁶ If you have sinned, how does that affect God? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what have you done to Him?

⁷ If you are righteous, what do you [by that] give God? Or what does He receive from your hand?

⁸ Your wickedness touches and affects a man such as you are, and your righteousness is for yourself, one of the human race [but it cannot touch God, Who is above such influence].

⁹ Because of the multitudes of oppressions the people cry out; they cry for help because of the violence of the mighty.

¹⁰ But no one says, Where is God my Maker, Who gives songs of rejoicing in the night,^(A)

¹¹ Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?

¹² [The people] cry out because of the pride of evil men, but He does not answer.

¹³ Surely God will refuse to answer [the cry which is] vanity (vain and empty—instead of abiding trust); neither will the Almighty regard it—

¹⁴ How much less when [missing His righteous judgment on earth] you say that you do not see Him, that your cause is before Him, and you are waiting for Him!

¹⁵ But now because God has not [speedily] punished in His anger and seems to be unaware of the wrong and oppression [of which a person is guilty],

¹⁶ Job uselessly opens his mouth and multiplies words without knowledge [drawing the worthless conclusion that the righteous have no more advantage than the wicked].