35
Elihu Sharply Reproves Job
1 Elihu continued speaking [to Job] and said,
2 “Do you think this is according to [your] justice?
Do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?
3 “For you say, ‘What advantage have you [by living a righteous life]?
What profit will I have, more [by being righteous] 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 skies which are [much] higher than you.
6 “If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against Him?
And if your transgressions are multiplied, what have you done to Him?
7 “If you are righteous, what do you give God,
Or what does He receive from your hand?
8 “Your wickedness affects only a man such as you,
And your righteousness affects only a son of man [but it cannot affect God, who is sovereign].
9 “Because of the multitudes of oppressions the people cry out;
They cry for help because of the [violent] arm of the mighty.
10 “But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,
Who gives songs [of rejoicing] in the night, [Acts 16:25]
11 Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth
And makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’
12 “The people cry out, but He does not answer
Because of the pride of evil men.
13 “Surely God will not listen to an empty cry [which lacks trust],
Nor will the Almighty regard it.
14 “Even though you say that you do not see Him [when missing His righteous judgment on earth],
Yet your case is before Him, and you must wait for Him!
15 “And now, because He has not [quickly] punished in His anger,
Nor has He acknowledged transgression and arrogance well [and seems unaware of the wrong of which a person is guilty],
16 Job uselessly opens his mouth
And multiplies words without knowledge [drawing the worthless conclusion that the righteous have no more advantage than the wicked].”