Job 35

Elihu Condemns Self-Righteousness

35Moreover Elihu answered and said:

²“Do you think this is right?

Do you say,

‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?

³For ^ayou 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 ^byour companions with you.

^5cLook to the heavens and see;

And behold the clouds—

They are higher than you.

⁶If you sin, what do you accomplish ^dagainst Him?

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

^7eIf you are righteous, what do you give Him?

Or what does He receive from your hand?

⁸Your wickedness affects a man such as you,

And your righteousness a son of man.

⁹“Because ^fof the multitude of oppressions they cry out;

They cry out for help because of the arm of the mighty.

¹⁰But no one says, ^g‘Where is God my Maker,

^hWho gives songs in the night,

¹¹Who ⁱteaches us more than the beasts of the earth,

And makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?’

^12jThere they cry out, but He does not answer,

Because of the pride of evil men.

^13kSurely God will not listen to empty talk,

Nor will the Almighty regard it.

^14lAlthough you say you do not see Him,

Yet justice is before Him, and ^myou must wait for Him.

¹⁵And now, because He has not ⁿpunished in His anger,

Nor taken much notice of folly,

^16oTherefore Job opens his mouth in vain;

He multiplies words without knowledge.”