2 “Do you think this is just?

You say, ‘I am in the right, not God.’

3 Yet you ask him, ‘What profit is it to me,

and what do I gain by not sinning?’

4 “I would like to reply to you

and to your friends with you.

5 Look up at the heavens and see;

gaze at the clouds so high above you.

6 If you sin, how does that affect him?

If your sins are many, what does that do to him?

7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him,

or what does he receive from your hand?

8 Your wickedness only affects humans like yourself,

and your righteousness only other people.

2 “Do you think this to be just?

Do you say, ‘It is my right before God,’

3 that you ask, ‘What advantage have I?

How am I better off than if I had sinned?’

4 I will answer you

and your friends with you.

5 Look at the heavens, and see;

and behold the clouds, which are higher than you.

6 If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him?

And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?

7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him?

Or what does he receive from your hand?

8 Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself,

and your righteousness a son of man.

2 Thinkest thou this to be right,

That thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God’s?

3 For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee?

And, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?

4 I will answer thee,

And thy companions with thee.

5 Look unto the heavens, and see;

And behold the clouds which are higher than thou.

6 If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him?

Or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?

7 If thou be righteous, what givest thou him?

Or what receiveth he of thine hand?

8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art;

And thy righteousness may profit the son of man.

2 “Do you think it is right for you to claim,

‘I am righteous before God’?

3 For you also ask, ‘What’s in it for me?

What’s the use of living a righteous life?’

4 “I will answer you

and all your friends, too.

5 Look up into the sky,

and see the clouds high above you.

6 If you sin, how does that affect God?

Even if you sin again and again,

what effect will it have on him?

7 If you are good, is this some great gift to him?

What could you possibly give him?

8 No, your sins affect only people like yourself,

and your good deeds also affect only humans.

2 “Do you think this is right?

Do you say,

‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?

3 For you say,

‘What advantage will it be to You?

What profit shall I have, 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 clouds—

They are higher than you.

6 If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him?

Or, if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to Him?

7 If you are righteous, what do you give Him?

Or what does He receive from your hand?

8 Your wickedness affects a man such as you,

And your righteousness a son of man.

2 “Do you think this is fair?

You say, ‘God will show that I am right,’

3 but you also ask, ‘What’s the use?

I don’t gain anything by not sinning.’

4 “I will answer you

and your friends who are with you.

5 Look up at the sky

and see the clouds so high above you.

6 If you sin, it does nothing to God;

even if your sins are many, they do nothing to him.

7 If you are good, you give nothing to God;

he receives nothing from your hand.

8 Your evil ways only hurt others like yourself,

and the good you do only helps other human beings.

2 Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than •God’s? 3 For thou hast asked of what profit it is unto thee: what do I gain more than if I had sinned? 4 I will reply to thee in words, and to thy companions with thee. 5 Look unto the heavens and see; and survey the skies: they are higher than thou. 6 If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? If thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him? 7 If thou be righteous, what givest thou to him? or what doth he receive of thy hand? 8 Thy wickedness may affect a man as thou art, and thy righteousness a son of man.

2 “Do you think this is right 

when you say, ‘My case is more just than God’s,’ 

3 when you ask, ‘What benefit is it to you?’ 

and, ‘What would I gain by sinning?’ 

4 I will answer you and your friends. 

5 “Look at the heavens and see. 

Observe the clouds high above you. 

6 If you’ve sinned, what effect can you have on God? 

If you’ve done many wrongs, what can you do to him? 

7 If you’re righteous, what can you give him, 

or what can he get from you? 

8 Your wickedness affects only someone like yourself. 

Your righteousness affects only the descendants of Adam. 

2 Do you think it is just when you say,

“I am righteous before God”?

3 For you ask, “What does it profit You,

and what benefit comes to me, if I do not sin?”

4 I will answer you

and your friends with you.

5 Look at the heavens and see;

gaze at the clouds high above you.

6 If you sin, how does it affect God?

If you multiply your transgressions, what does it do to Him?

7 If you are righteous, what do you give Him,

or what does He receive from your hand?

8 Your wickedness affects a person like yourself,

and your righteousness another human being.

2 “Do you think this to be just?

You say, ‘I am in the right before God.’

3 If you ask, ‘What advantage have I?

How am I better off than if I had sinned?’

4 I will answer you

and your friends with you.

5 Look at the heavens and see;

observe the clouds, which are higher than you.

6 If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him?

And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?

7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him;

or what does he receive from your hand?

8 Your wickedness affects others like you,

and your righteousness, other human beings.

2 “Do you think this is justice when you say,

‘I am right before God’?

3 If you ask what it profits you:

‘How do I benefit by refraining from my sin?’

4 I myself will give answer to you

and to your friends with you.

5 “Look at the heavens, and see;

and observe the clouds that are higher than you.

6 If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him?

And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?

7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him,

or what does he receive from your hand?

8 Your wickedness affects a person like yourself,

and your righteousness affects humans.

2 “Job, do you think it’s fair for you to say,

‘God will clear me of all charges’?

3 You ask him, ‘What good is it for me not to sin?

What do I get by not sinning?’

4 “I’d like to reply to you

and to your friends who are with you.

5 Look up at the heavens.

Observe the clouds that are high above you.

6 If you sin, what does that mean to God?

If you sin many times, what does that do to him?

7 If you do what is right, how does that help him?

What does he get from you?

8 The evil things you do only hurt someone like yourself.

The right things you do only help other human beings.

2 “Do you think this is according to justice?

Do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?

3 “For you say, ‘What advantage will it be to You?

What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’

4 “I will answer you,

And your friends with you.

5 “Look at the heavens and see;

And behold the clouds—they are higher than you.

6 “If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against Him?

And if your transgressions are many, what do you do to Him?

7 “If you are righteous, what do you give to Him,

Or what does He receive from your hand?

8 “Your wickedness is for a man like yourself,

And your righteousness is for a son of man.