1 E lihu spake moreover, and said,

Then Elihu continued and said,

2 T hinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God’s?

“Do you think this is according to justice? Do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?

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

“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 thee, and thy companions with thee.

“I will answer you, And your friends with you.

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

“ Look at the heavens and see; And behold the clouds—they are higher than you.

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

“If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against Him? And if your transgressions are many, what do you do to Him?

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

“If you are righteous, what do you give to Him, Or what does He receive from your hand?

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

“Your wickedness is for a man like yourself, And your righteousness is for a son of man.

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

“Because of the multitude of oppressions they cry out; They cry for help because of the arm of the mighty.

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

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

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

Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth And makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’

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

“There they cry out, but He does not answer Because of the pride of evil men.

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

“Surely God will not listen to an empty cry, Nor will the Almighty regard it.

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

“How much less when you say you do not behold Him, The case is before Him, and you must wait for Him!

15 B ut now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:

“And now, because He has not visited in His anger, Nor has He acknowledged transgression well,

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

So Job opens his mouth emptily; He multiplies words without knowledge.”