1-2 It is not right, Job, for you to say
that you are innocent in God's sight,
3 or to ask God, “How does my sin affect you?
What have I gained by not sinning?”
4 I am going to answer you and your friends too.
5 Look at the sky! See how high the clouds are!
6 If you sin, that does no harm to God.
If you do wrong many times, does that affect him?
7 Do you help God by being so righteous?
There is nothing God needs from you.
8 Others suffer from your sins,
and the good you do helps them.
9 When people are oppressed, they groan;
they cry for someone to save them.
10 But they don't turn to God, their Creator,
who gives them hope in their darkest hours.
11 They don't turn to God, who makes us wise,
wiser than any animal or bird.
12 They cry for help, but God doesn't answer,
for they are proud and evil.
13 It is useless for them to cry out;
Almighty God does not see or hear them.
14 Job, you say you can't see God;
but wait patiently—your case is before him.
15 You think that God does not punish,
that he pays little attention to sin.
16 It is useless for you to go on talking;
it is clear you don't know what you are saying.
1 Elihu spake moreover, and said, 2 Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God’s? 3 For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and , What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin? 4 I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee. 5 Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou. 6 If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him? 7 If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand? 8 Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.
9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty. 10 But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night; 11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven? 12 There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men. 13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
14 Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him. 15 But now, because it is not so , he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity: 16 Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.