1 T hen Elihu continued and said,

Elihu spoke further and said,

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

Do you think this is your right, or are you saying, 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?’

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

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

I will answer you and your companions with you.

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

Look to the heavens and see; and behold the skies which 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?

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 give to Him, Or what does He receive from your hand?

If you are righteous, what do you give God? 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.

Your wickedness touches and affects a man such as you are, and your righteousness is for yourself, one of the human race.

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

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 in the night,

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

11 W ho teaches us more than the beasts of the earth And makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’

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

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

cry out because of the pride of evil men, but He does not answer.

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

Surely God will refuse to answer vanity (vain and empty—instead of abiding trust); neither will the Almighty regard it—

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

How much less when you say that you do not see Him, that your cause is before Him, and you are waiting for Him!

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

But now because God has not punished in His anger and seems to be unaware of the wrong and oppression,

16 S o Job opens his mouth emptily; He multiplies words without knowledge.”

Job uselessly opens his mouth and multiplies words without knowledge.