1 M oreover Elihu answered and said,

2 T hinkest thou this to be thy right, Or sayest thou, My righteousness is more than God's,

3 T hat thou sayest, What advantage will it be unto thee? And, What profit shall I have, more than if I had sinned?

4 I will answer thee, And thy companions with thee.

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

6 I f thou hast sinned, what effectest thou against him? And if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?

7 I f thou be righteous, what givest thou him? Or what receiveth he of thy hand?

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

9 B y reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out; They cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.

10 B ut none saith, Where is God my Maker, Who giveth songs in the night,

11 W ho teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, And maketh us wiser than the birds of the heavens?

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

13 S urely God will not hear an empty cry, Neither will the Almighty regard it.

14 H ow much less when thou sayest thou beholdest him not, The cause is before him, and thou waitest for him!

15 B ut now, because he hath not visited in his anger, Neither doth he greatly regard arrogance;

16 T herefore doth Job open his mouth in vanity; He multiplieth words without knowledge.