35
Elihu Condemns Self-Righteousness
1Moreover Elihu answered and said:
2“Do you think this is right?
Do you say,
‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?
3For ⚓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.
6If 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?
8Your wickedness affects a man such as you,
And your righteousness a son of man.
9“Because⚓ of the multitude of oppressions they cry out;
They cry out for help because of the arm of the mighty.
10But no one says, ⚓‘Where is God my Maker,
⚓Who gives songs in the night,
11Who ⚓teaches us more than the beasts of the earth,
And makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?’
12⚓There they cry out, but He does not answer,
Because of the pride of evil men.
13⚓Surely God will not listen to empty talk,
Nor will the Almighty regard it.
14⚓Although you say you do not see Him,
Yet justice is before Him, and ⚓you must wait for Him.
15And now, because He has not ⚓punished in His anger,
Nor taken much notice of folly,
16⚓Therefore Job opens his mouth in vain;
He multiplies words without knowledge.”