Online Bible

Elihu Sharply Rebukes Job

Then Elihu continued and said,

2 “Do you think this is in accordance with ^ajustice?Do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?3 “For you say, ‘^aWhat advantage will it be to ¹You?^bWhat benefit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’4 “I will answer you,And your friends with you.5 “^aLook at the heavens and see;And look at ^bthe clouds—they are higher than you.6 “If you have sinned, ^awhat do you accomplish against Him?And if your wrongdoings are many, what do you do to Him?7 “If you are righteous, ^awhat do you give to Him,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.

9 “Because of the ^amultitude of oppressions they cry out;They cry for help because of the arm ^bof the mighty.10 “But ^ano one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,Who ^bgives songs in the night,11 Who ^ateaches us more than the animals of the earthAnd makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’12 “There ^athey cry out, but He does not answerBecause of the pride of evil people.13 “^aGod certainly will not listen to ¹an empty cry,Nor will the Almighty regard it.14 “How much less when ^ayou say you do not look at Him,The ^bcase is before Him, and you must wait for Him!15 “And now, because He has not avenged His anger,Nor has He acknowledged ¹wrongdoing well,16 So Job opens his mouth with empty words;He multiplies words ^awithout knowledge.”

Elihu Sharply Reproves Job

Then Elihu continued and said,

2 “Do you think this is according to ^ajustice?Do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?3 “For you say, ‘^aWhat advantage will it be to ¹You?^bWhat profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’4 “I will answer you,And your friends with you.5 “^aLook at the heavens and see;And behold ^bthe clouds—they are higher than you.6 “If you have sinned, ^awhat do you accomplish against Him?And if your transgressions are many, what do you do to Him?7 “If you are righteous, ^awhat do you give to Him,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.

9 “Because of the ^amultitude of oppressions they cry out;They cry for help because of the arm ^bof the mighty.10 “But ^ano one says, ‘Where is God my Maker,Who ^bgives songs in the night,11 Who ^ateaches us more than the beasts of the earthAnd makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’12 “There ^athey cry out, but He does not answerBecause of the pride of evil men.13 “Surely ^aGod will not listen to ¹an empty cry,Nor will the Almighty regard it.14 “How much less when ^ayou say you do not behold Him,The ^bcase is before Him, and you must wait for Him!15 “And now, because He has not visited in His anger,Nor has He acknowledged ¹transgression well,16 So Job opens his mouth ¹emptily;He multiplies words ^awithout knowledge.”